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AN 


Illustrated  Commentary 


*     ON 


THE    ACTS 


OF   THE   APOSTLES. 


FOR  FAMILY  USE  AND  REFERENCE,  AND  FOR  THE  GREAT  BODY 
OF  CHRISTIAN  WORKERS  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS. 


By  rev.   LYMAN  ABBOTT, 

AUTHOR    OF    "  LIFE    OF    CHRIST,"    "  DICTIONARY    OF    RELIGIOUS    KNOWLEDGE,"    ETC. 


VOLUME    IV. 


A.     S.     BARNES     &     COMPANY, 

NEW  YORK,    CHICAGO,    AND   NEW   ORLEANS. 
1878. 


BV  THE  EDITOR   OF  THIS   WORK. 


A  SERIES  OF  POPULAR  COMMENTARIES 

ON     THE     NE^A'^     TESTAMENT. 
IN    EIGHT    VOLUMES. 

Volume  I.  MATTHEW.  With  Notes  and  Comments, 
Maps  and  Illustrations  ;  also  an  Introduction 
to  the  Study  of  the  New  Testament,  a  con- 
densed life  of  Christ,  and  a  tabular  Harmony 
of  the  Gospels.     8vo,  cloth,  beveled. 

"         II.     MARK     AND     LUKE.     (Ready.) 

"       III.     JOHN.     (In  Press.) 

IV.     THE    ACTS    OF    THE    APOSTLES. 

■With  Notes,  Comments.  Maps  and  Illustra- 
tions ;  also  an  Introductory  Treatise,  Chro- 
nological Table  and  Gazetteer.  8vo,  cloth, 
beveled. 

(The  remaining  volumes  of  the  Series  in   preparation  ^ 


Copyright,  1876,  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co. 


PREFACE.* 

THE  object  of  this  Commentary  is  to  aid  in  their  Christian  work  those 
who  are  endeavoring  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  the  principles 
which  Jesus  Christ  came  to  propound  and  establish — clergymen,  Christian 
parents,  Sunday-School  teachers,  Bible-women,  lay-preachers.  Intended 
for  Christian  workers,  it  aims  to  give  the  results  rather  than  the  processes 
of  scholarship,  the  conclusions  rather  than  the  controversies  of  scholars ; 
intended  for  laymen  as  well  as  for  clergymen,  it  accompanies  the  English 
version  of  the  New  Testament,  in  all  references  to  the  original  Greek  gives 
the  English  equivalent,  and  translates  all  quotations  from  the  French, 
German,  Latin  and  Greek  authors. 

The  introduction  on  pages  31-34,  contains  a  statement  of  those 
principles  of  interpretation  which  appear  to  me  to  be  essential  to  the  correct 
understanding  of  the  Word  of  God.  This  Commentary  is  the  result  of  a 
conscientious  endeavor  to  apply  those  principles  to  the  elucidation  of  the 
New  Testament. 

It  is  founded  on  a  careful  examination  of  the  latest  and  best  text ;  such 
variations  as  are  of  practical  or  doctrinal  importance  are  indicated  in  the 
notes.  It  is  founded  on  the  original  Greek  ;  wherever  that  is  inadequately 
rendered  in  our  English  version,  a  new  translation  is  afforded  by  the  notes. 
The  general  purpose  of  the  writer  or  speaker,  and  the  general  scope  of  the 
incident  or  teaching,  is  indicated  in  a  Preliminary  Note  to  the  passage,  or 
in  an  analysis,  a  paraphrase,  or  a  general  summary  at  the  close.  Special 
topics,  such  as  The  Baptism,  The  Temptation,  The  Trial,  and  The 
Crucifixion  of  Jesus  are  treated  separately  in  preliminary  or  supplementary 
notes.  This  volume  contains  thirty  such  excursus.  The  results  of  recent 
researches  in  Biblical  archaeology  have  been  embodied,  so  as  to  make 
the  Commentary  serve  in  part  the  purpose  of  a  Bible  Dictionary.  A  free 
use  is  made  of  illustrations,  from  antiques,  photographs,  original  drawings, 
and  other  trustworthy  sources.  They  are  never  employed  for  mere 
ornament,  but  always  to  aid  in  depicting  the  life  of  Palestine,  which 
remains  in  many  respects  substantially  unchanged  by  the  lapse  of  time. 
Since  the  Commentary  is  prepared,  not  for  devotional  reading,  but  for 
practical  workers,  little  space  has  been  devoted  to  hortatory  remarks  or 
practical  or  spiritual  reflections.  But  I  have  uniformly  sought  to  interpret 
the  letter  by  the  spirit,  and  to  suggest  rather  than  to  supply  moral  and 
spiritual  reflections,  a  paragraph  of  hints  is  affixed  to  each  section  or  topic, 
embodying  what  appears  to  me  to  be  the  essential  religious  lessons  of  the 

*  From  Volume  I— Matthew  and  Makeu 


Vi  PREFACE. 

incident  or  the  teaching;  sometimes  a  note  is  appended  elucidating 
them  more  fully.  The  best  thoughts  of  the  best  thinkers,  both  exegetical 
and  homiletical,  are  freely  quoted,  especially  such  as  are  not  likely  to  be 
accessible  to  most  American  readers ;  in  all  such  cases  the  thought  is 
credited  to  the  author.  Parallel  and  contrasted  passages  of  Scripture  are 
brought  together  in  the  notes  ;  in  addition,  full  Scripture  references  are 
appended  to  the  text.  These  are  taken  substantially  from  Bagster's  large 
edition  of  the  English  version  of  the  Polyglot  Bible,  but  they  have  been 
carefully  examined  and  verified  in  preparing  for  the  press,  and  some 
modifications  have  been  made.  For  the  convenience  of  that  large  class  of 
Christian  workers  who  are  limited  in  their  means,  I  have  endeavored  to 
make  this  Commentary,  as  far  as  practicable,  a  complete  apparatus  for  the 
study  of  the  New  Testament.  When  finished  it  will  be  fully  furnished 
with  maps  ; — there  are  four  in  this  volume  ;  a  Gazetteer  gives  a  condensed 
account  of  all  the  principal  places  in  Palestine,  mentioned  in  our  Lord's 
life ;  and  an  introduction  traces  the  history  of  the  New  Testament  from 
the  days  of  Christ  to  the  present,  giving  some  account  of  the  evidence  and 
nature  of  inspiration,  the  growth  of  the  canon,  the  character  and  history 
of  the  manuscripts,  the  English  version,  the  nature  of  the  Gospels  and 
their  relation  to  each  other,  a  brief  life  of  Christ,  and  a  complete  tabular 
harmony  of  the  four  Gospels. 

The  want  of  all  who  use  the  Bible  in  Christian  work  is  the  same.  The 
wish  is  often  for  a  demonstration  that  the  Scripture  sustains  the  reader's 
peculiar  theological  tenets,  but  the  want  is  always  for  a  clearer  and  better 
knowledge  of  Scripture  teaching,  whether  it  sanctions  or  overturns  previous 
opinions.  I  am  not  conscious  that  this  work  is  written  in  the  interest  of 
any  theological  or  ecclesiastical  system.  In  those  cases  in  which  the  best 
scholars  are  disagreed  in  their  interpretation,  the  different  views  and  the 
reasons  which  lead  me  to  my  own  conclusions  have  been  given,  I  trust,  in 
no  controversial  spirit.  For  the  sole  object  of  this  work  is  to  ascertain 
and  make  clear  the  meaning  of  the  Word  of  God,  irrespective  of  systems, 
whether  ecclesiastical  or  doctrinal. 

No  work  is  more  delightful  than  that  which  throws  us  into  fellowship 
with  great  minds ;  of  all  work  the  most  delightful  is  that  which  brings  us 
into  association  with  the  mind  of  God.  This  is  the  fellowship  to  which  the 
student  of  the  Bible  aspires.  I  can  have  for  those  who  use  this  work  no 
higher  hope  than  that  they  may  find  in  its  employment  some  of  the  happi- 
ness which  I  have  found  in  its  preparation,  and  that  it  may  serve  them  as 
it  has  served  me,  as  a  guide  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  through  that  Word 
to  a  better  acquaintance  with  God  himself. 

CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON,  May,  1875.  LYMAN    ABBOTT. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


PAOE 

Introduction is 

Gazetteer 2a 

Supplementary  Notes — 

Peter's  Pentecostal  Sermon 45 

The  Outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  the  Pentecost 48 

Op  Communism  in  the  Early  Church 49 

Gamaliel's  Counsel 74 

Of  the  Origin  and  Office  of  Deacons 77 

Stephen's  Address 80 

The  Case  of  Simon  Magus lOO 

The  Conversion  of  Saul Ill 

The  So-called  Council  at  Jerusalem 164 

The  Conversion  of  the  Jailer 183 

Paul  at  Athens — Prel.  Note 188 

Paul  at  Athens — Sup.  Note 196 

Paul's  Voyage  and  Shipwreck 248 

Ancient  Navigation 247 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The  illustrations  accompanying  this  volume  have  been  derived  from  a  number  of  sources. 
Some  of  the  smaller  outline  engravings  of  implements,  utensils,  etc.,  have  been  talien  from  liich's 
Dictionary ;  several  of  the  illustrations  of  ancient  sites  have  been  talien  from  Lewin'a  Life  and 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul;  some  from  Murrai/s  Illustrated  New  Testament;  the  maps  have  been  taken  from 
Conybeare  and  Howson's  Life  and  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  but  have  been  carefully  revised  for  this  work. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  engravings,  however,  especially  those  illustrating  ancient  manners  and 
customs,  have  been  drawn  and  engraved  expressly  for  this  volume,  from  sketches  by  Mr.  A.  L. 
Rawson. 


PAGE 

Traditional  Portraits  op  Peter  and  Paui, 28 

Olivet,  from  Road  to  Bethany 31 

Oriental  Prayer-meeting .' 32 

The  Traditional  Aceldama 34 

Tombs  op  the  Kings. — David's  Sepulchre 44 

Baptizing  in  the  East 47 

An  Oriental  Court 58 

Face  of  Herod 62 

Prepared  for  Burial 66 

Solomon's  Porch 68 

Bastinado 74 

A  Grecian  Widow 76 

Death  op  Stephen 93 

City  of  Samaria,  from  the  Southeast 95 

Gaza 102 

Candace,  Queen  op  Ethiopia .• 103 

Philip's  Fountain 105 

azotus. — ashdod 106 

C^SAREA   PaLESTINA 106 

A  Turkish  Firman 107 

Damascus,  from  the  Jerusalem  Roads 108 

Ancient  Ox-goad 110 

Windows  on  the  Wall. — Damascus 116 

Tarsus,  the  Birth-place  of  Paul 117 

Lydda,  with  the  Rums  of  the  Church  op  St.  George 120 

View  of  Joppa,  from  the  Northeast 121 

The  Fountain  of  Tabitha,  near  Joppa 122 

An  Arab  Widow 122 

House  of  Simon  the  Tanner 123 

A  Roman  Soldier ^25 

Antioch  in  Syria ^^'^ 


X  IiIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

Oriental  Prison 138 

Links  of  an  Ancient  Chain 139 

Modern  Sheik  on  His  Throne 143 

Seleucia  and  Mt.  Pieria 146 

Ancient  Salamis. — Modern  Famagosta 147 

Perga  in  Pamphylia 150 

Antioch  in  Pisidia 151 

iconium. — koniyeh 158 

Ancient  Sacrifice  and  Altar 161 

Troas,  from  Tenedos 174 

Arab-Greek 175 

The  Dyer's  Shop 177 

Ruins  in  the  Market-place  of  Philippi = 179 

The  Fasces 181 

Inner  Prison. — Sectional  View 181 

In  the  Stocks  181 

The  Lictor 184 

Thessalonica 185 

Ancient  Athens  Restored 189 

Athens,  Modern 190 

The  Agora. 192 

Philosopher  Studying  a  Roll  of  Papyrus  before  a  Sun-dial. 193 

Mars  Hill. — The  Areopagus 194 

Ancient  Altars 196 

Women  Weaving  Tent-cloth 202 

Temple  of  Diana 209 

Theatre  at  Ephesus 215 

Image  of  Diana 216 

The  Girdle 226 

Eastern  Barber-shop 227 

Casting  off  Garments 231 

Boat  with  Tackling 247 

Boat  with  Eyes 251 

SiDON 349 

View  of  Crete 250 

PUTEOLI 259 

Cum^ 260 

Prisoner  in  Chains 261 


MAPS   AND    PLANS. 

Map  of  Paul's  First  and  Second  Missionary  Journeys 19 

Map  of  Countries  Mentioned  in  Acts,  with  Paul's  Third  and  Fourth  Journeys    21 

Map  of  Samothracia 176 

Plan  of  Athens 191 

Map  op  South  Coast  of  Crete 252 

Coast  of  Malta 255 

Journey  from  PUteoli  to  Rome 260 


THE    ACTS 


The  Apostles, 


NOTES       AND       COMMENTS. 


THE    ACTS    OF    THE    APOSTLES. 

INTRODUCTION. 


By  whom  writlen.  That  the  author  of 
the  Book  of  Acts  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  third 
Gospel  is  evident  from  several  considerations  : 
from  the  address  to  Theophilus,  and  the  refer- 
ence to  a  previous  treatise  similarly  addressed 
(comp.  Acts  1 : 1  with  Luke  1:3);  f  rom  the  stroug  resem- 
blance in  the  style  of  the  two  books  ;  from  par- 
allelisms particularly  noticeable  in  the  description 
of  the  shipwreck  in  Acts  and  the  storm  on  the 
Sea  of  Galilee  in  the  Gospel ;  from  intimations, 
slight,  and  yet  noticeable,  of  the  author's  knowl- 
edge of  disease  and  his  use  of  medical  terms 

(comp.  Luke  4  :  38  ;   8  :  43,  44,  with  Acts  3:7;    1'2  :  23  j    13  :  11  ; 

28  : 8) ;  and  from  the  fact  that  Luke,  who  de- 
scribes himself  as  the  traveling  companion  of 
Paul  even  to  Rome  itself,  is  several  times  re- 
ferred to  by  Paul  as  being  with  him  in  Rome 

(comp.  Acts  28  with  Col.  4:14;    2  Tim.  4:11;  Phil.  24).      That 

the  author  of  both  is  Luke  is  the  universal  testi- 
mony of  antiquity. 

Several  other  hypotheses  of  authorship  have 
been  suggested ;  such  as,  that  the  book  is  the 
work  of  a  later  date,  being  compiled  from  vari- 
ous documents  in  the  churches,  descriptive  of 
the  apostolic  labors  ;  that  it  was  edited  by  Luke, 
but  contains  narratives  written  by  other  au- 
thors ;  e.  g.,  that  Timothy  was  Paul's  traveling 
companion,  and  that  where  the  narrative  im- 
plies that  it  was  written  by  one  who  was  accom- 
panj'ing  Paul  on  his  journey  (Acts  le :  lO;  20 :  13,  etc.), 
the  journal  of  Timothy  has  been  bodily  incorpo- 
rated in  the  narrative  ;  that  Silas  (ch.  15 :  13)  was 
the  author  of  parts  of  the  book  ;  or  that  Silas  and 
Luke  a,re  different  names  for  the  same  person. 
It  would  be  foreign  to  my  purpose  to  discuss  at 
length  these  and  kindred  hypotheses.  There  is 
no  just  reason  for  questioning  the  universal  tes- 
timony of  tradition,  which,  from  the  earliest 
ages,  has  ascribed  the  book  to  Luke,  and  there 
is  abundant  reason  in  the  structure  of  the  book 
itself  for  rejecting  the  notion  that  it  is  the  work 
of  more  than  one  author.  Its  style  is  the  same 
throughout,  except  where  it  professes  to  report 
the  speeches  or  writings  of  others ;  its  narrative 
is  continuous  and  harmonious ;  it  gives  no  hint 
of  incorporating  foreign  material ;  it  fulfills  (see 
below  on  Objects  of  the  Book)  a  definite  literaiy 
and  religious  design ;  in  brief,  it  has  all  the 
marks  of  careful  and  individual  authorship,  none 
of  a  careless  compilation.  The  curious  student 
will  find  a  discussion  of  these  various  theories  in 
Alford's  New  Testament,  Prolegomena,  and  in 
Davidson's  Introduction  to  the  N.  T.,  Vol.  II. 

Luke.  Very  little  is  really  known  of  Luke  ; 
traditions  are  untrustworthy ;   and  hypotheses, 


whether  formed  by  skeptics  or  Christians,  are 
valueless.     His  name  is  only  mentioned  three 

times  in  the   N.  T.  (Col.  4  :  14  ;  2  Tim.  4  :  11  ;  Philemon  n, 

Lucas).  He  is  thought  not  to  have  been  of  Jew- 
ish birth,  since  in  Col.  4  :  11-14:  Paul  apparently 
distinguishes  him  from  those  who  are  of  the  cir- 
cumcision. He  was  by  profession  a  physician. 
This  neither  proves  high  birth  nor  remarkable 
attainments,  since  the  medical  art  of  that  day 
was  of  the  rudest  description,  and  was  some- 
times practiced  by  slaves.  Early  tradition  fixes 
his  birthplace  at  Antioch  ;  one  less  trustworthy 
describes  him  as  a  painter.  The  date  of  his  con- 
version is  unknown  ;  he  was  not  one  of  the 
twelve,  nor,  it  would  appear  from  Luke  1  :  2,  an 
eye  and  ear  witness  of  the  works  and  words  of 
our  Lord.  There  is  nothing  inherently  improba- 
ble in  an  early  tradition  which  makes  him  one  of 
the  seventy  whose  appointment  he  alone  de- 
scribes (Luke  10 : 1).  AssuHiing  him  to  have  been 
the  author  of  the  book  of  Acts,  he  joined  Paul 
at  Troas  (Acta  le :  10),  and  was  thereafter  Paul's 
traveling  companion,  though  not  continuously. 
(See  below.  Sources  of  Information.) 

Authenticity.  Whatever  doubts  may  exist 
respecting  the  authorship  of  the  Book  of  Acts, 
there  is  no  room  for  reasonable  doubt  respecting 
its  authenticity,  i.  e.,  that  it  was  written  proba- 
bly during  the  first  century,  certainly  by  a  con- 
temporary and  companion  of  the  apostles,  who 
was  an  eye  and  ear  witness  of  most  of  the  scenes 
which  he  describes.  The  evidences  of  this  are 
twofold : 

(1. )  The  book  abounds  with  references  to  the 
geography  of  Asia  Minor  and  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans.  It 
contains  allusions  to  more  than  one  hundred 
towns  and  cities.  It  describes,  in  some  cases 
with  considerable  detail,  the  journeys  of  Paul 
from  place  to  place.  It  describes  characteristic- 
ally different  experiences  in  different  places — 
the  scornful  skepticism  of  Athens,  the  worldly 
indifference  of  Corinth,  the  witchcraft  of  Ephe- 
sus  and  the  mob  there  incited  by  the  makers  of 
Diana's  silver  shrines.  Both  history  and  geogra- 
phy confirm  the  accuracy  of  these  accounts. 
We  are  able  to  retrace  the  journeys  of  Paul; 
and  the  ruined  cities  remain  to  attest  the  per- 
fect accuracy  of  the  history.  We  know  some- 
thing of  their  ancient  character,  and  that  they 
correspond  with  the  record  which  Luke  has 
given.  We  know  that  Athens  was  a  city  of  in- 
telligence, philosophy,  and  of  superabundant  su- 
perstitions; that  Corinth  was  a  commercial 
metropolis,  likely  to  be  coldly  indifferent  to  a 


14 


THE  ACTS. 


Gospel  which  proclaimed  a  crucified  God ;  that 
Ephesus  was  the  heart  of  a  semi-Asiatic  witch- 
craft, and  famous  for  its  temple  to  Diana  and 
the  silver  shrines  which  its  workmen  sent 
throughout  all  Greece.  We  are  able,  by  aid  of 
comparatively  recent  exhumations,  to  test  the 
accuracy  of  Luke's  incidental  references  to  the 
manners  and  customs  of  ancient  Greece  and 
Rome ;  no  work  of  a  later  age  could  bear  the 
test  as  his  narrative  does.  These  confirmations 
of  his  account  are  referred  to  throughout  the 
notes ;  see  especially  on  ch.  27. 

(3.)  Claiming  to  be  contemporaneous  with  this 
Book  of  Acts  are  thirteen  letters,  purporting  to 
be  written  by  the  apostle  Paul,  whose  life  and 
labors  constitute  the  main  portion  of  Luke's  nar- 
rative. The  authorship  of  some  of  these  letters 
the  most  determined  infidel  does  not  question ; 
others  are  questioned,  but  can  hardly  be  called 
questionable.  For  while  the  authorship  of  some 
of  the  N.  T.  books,  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
and  2  Peter,  for  example,  is  somewhat  doubtful, 
that  of  Paul's  epistles  is  as  certain  as  the  author- 
ship of  any  books  of  equal  antiquity.  These 
letters  of  Paul  abound  with  references  to  his 
own  personal  experience,  and  a  careful  compari- 
son of  these  personal  experiences  with  Luke's 
history  shows  a  great  number  of  what  Dr.  Paley 
has  aptly  called  "undesigned  comcidences." 
The  more  obscure  of  these  parallelisms  the 
stronger  the  argument  derived  from  them.  A 
subsequent  writer,  having  Paul's  letters  before 
him,  might  incorporate  a  few  references  bor- 
rowed from  them.  But  when  we  find  that  the 
life  of  Paul,  as  delineated  by  Luke,  corresponds 
in  even  the  minutest  detail  with  the  experience 
of  Paul  as  described  by  himself,  and  that  the 
coincidences  are  in  many  cases  such  that  only  a 
careful  study  makes  them  apparent,  we  may 
safely  conclude  that  the  life  is  authentic.  For 
the  argument  from  these  undesigned  coinci- 
dences the  reader  is  referred  to  Dr.  Paley's 
Horte  Paulines ;  to  aid  those  who  have  not  access 
to  that  book,  and  yet  wish  to  get  some  idea  of 
the  nature  of  the  argument,  I  append  a  list  of 
some  of  the  more  important  parallel  passages, 
premising  that,  in  some  cases,  the  parallelism 
will  manifest  itself,  not  to  the  casual  reader,  but 
only  to  the  careful  student : 

Acts.  Episties. 

8  .  3  J  Gal.  1  :  13. 
(ITim.  1:  12,13. 

9:!»25 2  Cor.  11  :  32,  .33. 

13  :  50.  I 

14  :  5.    V 8  Tim.  3  :  10, 11. 

19.         ) 

16:1 (2Tim.l:4. 

I  2  Tim.  3  :  15. 
16:22 Phil.  1  :  29,  30. 

«;i,26.} lCor.9:20. 


Acts.  Epistles. 

1S.1    K  J  2  Cor.  11  :9. 

^®-^'^ l2Cor.l:19. 

18:2 Rom.  16:3. 

18:3 1  Cor.4-  11,12. 

18:8 lCor.l:14. 

18:6,  18 Rom.  16:4. 

»^-» \\^.l:l 

18:  27 2  Cor.  3:  1. 

19  :  21 Rom.  1 :  13. 

19  :  21,  22 1  Cor.  4  :  17-19. 

19  :  28-34 2  Cor.  1 :  8-10. 

19:29 Col.4:10. 

20  :  4 Rom.  16  :  21-23. 

20  :  22,  23 Rom.  15  :  30. 

20  :  24 2  Thess.  3  :  9. 

22:3 Gal.  1  :  14. 

22:17,18 Gal.  1:18. 

Date.  The  date  of  publication  of  the  Book 
of  Acts  cannot  be  fixed  with  certainty.  The  ab- 
sence of  aU  reference  to  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  implication  throughout  that  it  is 
stiLl  standing,  justifies  the  opinion,  universal 
throughout  the  Christian  Church,  that  it  was 
published  previous  to  that  event,  which  oc- 
curred A.  D.  70.  The  best  opinion  fixes  the  pub- 
lication at  about  the  time  indicated  by  the  close 
of  the  book,  i.  e.,  during  Paul's  first  imprison- 
ment in  Rome.  This  would  bring  it  about  a.  d. 
()3.  It  may  be  said  with  certainty  that  it  was 
I)ublished  not  before  A.  d.  61  or  62,  and  not  later 
than  A.  D.  70. 

Sources  of  information.  The  writer  of  the 
Book  of  Acts  was  with  Paul  at  Troas  (Acts  is :  lo-is), 
left  him  at  Philippi  (ch.  i? :  i),  rejoined  him  there 
seven  years  later  (ch.  so :  s),  and  continued  with 
him  throughout  his  perilous  voyage  to  Rome  (ch. 
27 :  1, 7, 39,  etc.).  A  Considerable  portion  of  the 
narrative,  therefore,  is  a  journal  of  events  which 
he  himself  witnessed,  and  in  which  he  partici- 
pated. But  there  is  no  external  evidence,  and 
nothing  in  the  book  itself,  to  indicate  that  he 
was  an  eye  and  ear  witness  of  the  events  record- 
ed in  the  first  fourteen  chapters.  He  does  not 
mention  himself  in  this  portion  of  the  narrative. 
It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  he  derived  his 
information  respecting  the  events  there  recorded 
from  those  who  were  eye-witnesses.  This  in- 
herently reasonable  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the 
fact  that  he  derived  the  information  for  his  Gos- 
pel from  such  eye-witnesses  (Luke  i :  2),  and  by 
the  minute  details  in  his  narrative.  Thus,  for 
example,  in  the  account  of  the  deliverance  of 
Peter  from  prison  (ch.  12 :  i-n),  the  very  name  of 
the  servant  who  opened  the  door  is  given  ;  and 
in  the  account  of  Paul's  conversion,  the  name  of 
the  street  where  Saul  tarried  in  Damascus  (ch. 
9.11).  A  comparison  of  the  three  accounts  of 
that  conversion  (ch.  9  :  1-9;  22:i-if. ;  20 :  12-18)  indi- 
cates clearly  that  Luke  derived  his  information 


THE  ACTS. 


15 


respecting  it  from  Paul ;  and  it  is  scarcely  less 
evident  from  the  narrative  itself  that  the  writ- 
er's knowledge  of  the  call  of  Cornelius,  and  the 
revelation  to  Peter  that  the  Gospel  was  a  gift  to 
the  Gentiles  as  well  as  to  the  Jews  (ch.  lo),  was 
derived  from  Peter. 

A  more  interesting  and  difficult  question  is, 
Whence  did  Luke  derive  his  reports  of  the 
speeches  which  constitute  so  important  a  part 
of  his  narrative  ?  These  he  publishes  in  fidl ; 
and,  at  least  in  some  instances,  apparently  verba- 
tim. Of  such  speeches  those  of  Peter  at  Pente- 
cost (ch.  2 :  14-36)  and  in  the  Temple  (ch.  3 :  12-26),  of 
Stephen  (ch.  7),  and  the  various  speeches  of  Paul 

(ch.  13 :  16-41 :  17  :  22-31  ;  22  :  1-21 ;  24  :  10-21 ;  ch.  26),  are  no- 
table illustrations.  There  are  three  explanations 
as  to  the  sources  from  which  he  derived  or  the 
method  in  which  he  made  his  reports  of  these 
addresses.  (1.)  It  is  supposed  that  they  were 
disclosed  to  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  being  in  fact 
a  matter  of  divine  revelation.  But  no  such  claim 
is  made  either  by  or  for  his  narrative  in  the  N.  T. 
The  same  reverence  which  leads  us  to  accept  the 
inspiration  claimed  by  the  N.  T.  leads  to  caution 
in  imputing  to  it  an  inspiration  which  it  does  not 
claim.  While  the  divine  inspiration  quickens  the 
human  faculties  it  does  not  provide  a  substitute 
for  their  activity  ;  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  God 
never  reveals,  supernaturally,  truth  which  man 
can  ascertain  by  natural  means.  (3. )  It  is  sug- 
gested that  Luke  has  not  given  verbatim  reports 
of  what  was  said,  but  has  embodied  in  his  own 
language  the  substance  of  the  speaker's  thoughts, 
as  he  was  able  to  gather  it  from  oral  tradition, 
and  that  for  greater  dramatic  effect  he  has  put 
it  in  the  form  of  a  direct  and  verbatim  report. 
This  was  a  common  method  among  ancient  his- 
torians, and  is  indeed  pursued  by  some  very 
popular  historians  at  the  present  day.  But  this 
hypothesis  is  open  to  a  twofold  objection  :  (a.)  It 
deprives  the  account  of  much  of  its  credibility. 
We  are  left  at  a  loss  to  determine  what  is  history 
and  what  the  imagination  of  the  narrator.  It 
supposes  a  sacrifice  of  simple  truth  to  dramatic 
effect.  (6. )  It  does  not  accord  with  the  language 
of  the  original  Greek.  In  numerous  instances, 
not  patent  to  the  English  reader,  there  is  a 
marked  difference  in  style  and  language  between 
that  of  Luke  the  historian  and  that  of  Peter  or 
Paul  the  speaker ;  and  this  change  is  such  as  to 
indicate  that  in  some  instances,  and  to  some  con- 
siderable extent,  the  exact  words  of  the  speaker 
have  been  caught  and  preserved.  (3.)  It  is  sup- 
posed that  these  addresses  were  preserved  in 
documentary  form  in  the  churches,  and  that 
these  documentary  reports  constituted  the  ma- 
terial which  Luke  employed  in  his  narrative. 
But  this  does  not  wholly  solve  the  problem,  for 
the  question  still  remains.  Whence  these  doc- 
umentary reports?      It  is  quite  impossible  to 


suppose  that  Peter  wrote  his  Pentecostal  ser- 
mon, or  Paul  his  speech  at  Athens,  either  before 
delivering  it,  or  after  delivery,  and  a  strictly 
verbatim  report  could  not  have  been  taken  down 
by  any  method  known  to  the  ancients.  (4.)  1  am 
compelled  therefore  to  adopt  an  hypothesis  com- 
posed of  these  three  ;  i.  e.,  I  suppose  it  probable 
that  reports,  more  or  less  full,  were  taken  at  the 
time  and  preserved  ;  that  these  written  reports, 
or  the  memory  of  auditors,  afforded  Luke  the 
material  for  his  history  ;  that  composing  his  re- 
ports of  speeches  from  this  material  he  embodied 
it  in  the  form  of  verbatim  reports,  according  to 
the  custom  of  his  age,  and  in  the  manner  still 
pursued  by  the  skillful  reporter  of  to-day,  who 
often  condenses  into  half  a  column  the  address 
of  half  an  hour,  and  yet  succeeds  in  preserving 
the  style  and  even  the  very  language  of  the 
orator  ;  and  that  in  this  work  Luke  was  so  aided 
by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  we  have 
in  all  cases  the  substance,  and,  where  it  is  im- 
portant, the  very  words  of  the  inspired  speaker. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  in  an  age  of  scant 
literature  and  much  public  speaking,  hearers 
would  naturally  remember  better  than  now,  not 
only  the  substance  but  even  the  very  words  of 
memorable  addresses ;  that  they  did  so,  is  made 
evident  by  classical  literature.  That  Luke  has 
sometimes  condensed  a  long  address  into  a  short 
report,  and  yet  given  it  in  the  words,  or  substan- 
tially the  words,  of  the  speaker,  is  indicated  by 
Acts  3  :  40.  The  student  must,  however,  bear  in 
mind  that  these  are  only  hypotheses,  and  that 
the  N.  T.  itself  is  silent  as  to  the  method  in 
which  Luke  prepared  his  history,  or  the  material 
which  he  employed  in  its  preparation. 

Object  and  nature  of  the  book.  This  is 
indicated  by  what  I  believe  to  have  been  its 
original  title,  viz..  The  Acts ;  the  words.  Of  the 
A2Msiles,  are  wanting  in  the  Sinaitic  manuscript, 
and  omitted  by  Tischendorf ;  they  were  probably 
added  by  a  copyist  to  explain  the  brief  and 
somewhat  enigmatical  original  title.  That  it  was 
no  part  of  the  purpose  of  the  author  to  narrate 
the  acts  of  the  apostles  is  evident  from  the  con- 
tents of  the  book  itself. 

Of  the  original  twelve  after  the  list  in  ch.  1 :  13 
it  only  mentions  by  name  three,  Peter,  James  and 
John.  It  does  not  describe  in  any  detail  the 
labors,  nor  does  it  mention  the  death,  of  either 
one  of  these  three.  The  life  of  Paul  is  partially, 
but  only  partially  given.  Clearly  the  hves  and 
labors  of  the  apostles  were  not  the  chief  theme 
of  this  writer.  He  is  not  a  biographer.  Nor  can 
this  book  be  correctly  characterized  as  The  Acts 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  True,  it  does  describe  the 
initiation  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the 
four  Gospels  describe  the  earthly  Ufe  and  work 
of  Jesus  Christ.  But  the  Acts  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
began  long  before  the  Pentecost  (see  ch,  2 : 4,  note) 


16 


THE  ACTS. 


and  have  continued  with  increasing  demonstra- 
tions of  power  to  the  present  day.  It  appears 
to  me  then,  that,  as  the  Gospels  reveal  the  re- 
ligion of  Jesus  Christ  as  embodied  in  his  own  life 
and  teachings,  and  as  the  Epistles  reveal  it  as 
embodied  in  more  systematic  and  didactic  forms, 
and  as  applied  by  the  inspired  apostles  to  the 
various  experiences  of  individual  and  church 
life,  this  book  reveals  it  as  embodied  in  action. 
It  teaches  Christianity  by  recording  the  acts  of 
Christ's  disciples  in  labors  for  its  promotion  and 
extension.  Thus  we  have  in  the  Gospels  the 
fundamental  principles  of  Christianity,  in  the 
Epistles  the  doctrinal  and  practical  teachings  of 
Christianity,  and  in  this  book  the  Acts  of  Chris- 
tianity or  Christianity  in  action.  The  book,  thus 
interpreted,  is  not  fragmentary,  nor  is  its  ending 
abrupt.  It  begins  with  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  Jerusalem,  the  capital  of  Judea.  It  car- 
ries on  the  record  of  the  work  of  the  church, 
until  its  leading  mind  has  preached  the  Word  in 
Rome,  the  capital  of  the  Gentile  world.  Thus  it 
records,  not  indeed  the  final  and  complete,  but 
what  I  may  call  the  prophetic,  fulfillment  of 
Christ's  promise,  "Ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto 
me,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth,"  (ch.  i  :8),  and  the  methods  in  which,  and 
the  measures  by  which,  the  early  church  obtained 
the  fulfillment  of  this  promise. 

The  book  may  be  regarded  as  divided  into 
three  sections,  viz.,  (1)  The  founding  of  the 
Church  at  Jerusalem  by  the  descent  and  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  preaching  of  the  twelve, 
especially  Peter  (chaps.  1-5) ;  (2)  the  growth,  de- 
velopment, and  organization  of  the  church, — its 
growth  in  numbers,  its  development  in  doctrine 
and  in  spiritual  life  from  a  reformed  Jewish  sect 
into  a  Catholic  church ;  its  organization  into  a 
body  with  officers  and  somewhat  defined  methods 
of  procedure,— all  in  preparation  for  its  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  unto  every  creature,  the 
Jew  first,  but  also  the  GentDe  (chaps.  6-12) ;  (3)  its 
missionary  work,  beginning  with  the  departure 
of  Paul  and  Barnabas  from  Antioch,  and  closing 
with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the  city  of 

Rome  (chaps.  13-28). 

Uses  of  the  book.  What  is  the  use  of  the 
Book  of  Acts  to  US  ;  what  have  we  to  learn  from 
It  ?  Largely  it  has  been  regarded  by  the  church 
as  a  text-book  in  all  matters  of  ecclesiastical  or- 
ganization, ceremonial,  and  discipline.  The  Con- 
gregationalist  points  to  the  election  of  Matthias 
(Acts  1 :  23)  as  an  evidence  that  the  authority  of  the 
early  churches  was  vested  in  the  whole  body  of 
believers ;  the  Presbyterian,  to  the  existence  of 
elders  (ch.  20 :  n)  as  an  evidence  that  there  was  a 
body  of  officers  entrusted  with  the  administration 
of  church  affairs  answering  to  the  modem  session ; 
the  Episcopalian,  to  the  oversight  exercised  by 


the  apostles  over  all  the  churches  as  an  evidence 
of  the  apostolic  origin  of  Episcopacy.  This  use 
of  the  Book  of  Acts  assumes  (1)  That  Christ 
founded  a  church  with  a  definite  organization 
and  definite  rules  for  its  guidance,  and  that, 
therefore,  the  church  of  the  first  century  is  the 
inspired  and  authoritative  model  for  the  churches 
in  all  ages ;  (3)  that  the  apostolic  example  as  well 
as  the  apostolic  teaching  is  inspired  and  author- 
itative, and  that,  therefore,  if  we  can  learn  how 
the  apostles  organized  and  administered  the 
churches,  we  shall  be  sure  to  organize  and 
administer  wisely  in  following  their  example ;  (3) 
that  there  was  one  method  of  organization  and 
administration  which  was  common  to  all  the 
churches  in  the  first  century.  There  is  small  war- 
rant in  Scripture  for  either  of  these  assumptions. 
(1.)  That  Christ  intended  that  his  disciples 
should  organize  in  Christian  communities  to 
carry  on  Christian  work  is  certain ;  but  he  no- 
where prescribes  how  those  communities  shall 
be  organized  and  governed ;  neither  do  his 
disciples.  There  is  not  in  the  N,  T.  anything 
answering  to  the  ecclesiastical  canons  of  modem 
times.  If  he  had  intended  to  leave  an  authorita- 
tive rule  for  future  ages,  it  is  hardly  conceivable 
that  he  would  have  left  it  to  be  deduced  from 
casual  and  often  ambiguous  references  scattered 
through  a  history  of  what  one  or  two  only  of  his 
apostles  did,  in  organizing  the  first  churches. 
(3.)  That  the  apostles  spoke  by  inspiration  of  God, 
and  that  as  teachers  they  are  trustworthy  and 
authoritative  guides  in  moral  and  spiritual  truth, 
is,  I  believe,  clear,  from  a  variety  of  considera- 
tions. (See  Vol.  I,  Introduction,  p.  14.)  But  they 
nowhere  claim  to  be  inspired  and  authoritative 
examples,  unless  1  Cor.  4  :  16  ;  11  :  1 ;  Phil.  3  :  17 ; 
1  Thess.  1  :  6 ;  2  Thess.  3  :  9,  be  thought  to  sug- 
gest such  a  claim.  Christ  is  our  example,  not 
the  apostles.  Their  lives,  like  those  of  the  O.  T. 
saints  and  patriarchs  afford  warning  as  well  as 
guidance.  Illustrations  of  their  mistakes  are 
afforded  by  the  quarrel  between  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas (ch.  15 :  38, 39),  the  rctractiou  of  Peter  (caL 
2 :  12-14),  the  failure  of  Paul's  device  in  Jerusalem 
(ch.  21 :  20-30).  If,  therefore,  we  were  able  to  as- 
certain the  manner  and  form  of  organization  of 
the  apostolic  churches,  it  would  not  follow  that 
we  must  of  necessity  organize  ourselves  in  this 
country  in  the  same  manner.  (3.)  There  is  very 
inadequate  ground  for  the  assumption  that  the 
apostolic  churches  were  all  formed  on  one  pat- 
tern. It  might  safely  be  presumed  that  this 
would  not  be  the  case.  Where  a  church  of  in- 
structed Christians  was  formed  it  would  assume 
naturally  the  charge  of  its  own  affairs  (ch.  i :  23-26 ; 
2 :  44-47 ;  6:6);  Where  a  church  was  gathered  out 
of  a  purely  heathen  community,  unfitted  by 
either  religious  or  political  education  for  self- 
government,  its  affairs  would  be  administered 


THE  ACTS. 


17 


for  it  by  its  appointed  pastor,  and  its  officers 
selected  for  it  by  the  apostle  who  organized  the 
church  (Acts  14 :  23 ;  Tit<  1:5);  whcrc  the  majority 
of  the  newly  organized  church  were  Jews,  the 
form  of  ecclesiastical  government  with  which 
they  were  most  familiar,  that  of  the  Jewish  syn- 
agogue, would  be  naturally  adopted.  In  other 
words,  the  church  would  be  Congregational,  Epis- 
copalian, or  Presbyterian,  according  to  the  pecu- 
liar circumstances  and  conditions  of  the  church 
and  community.  And  this  in  fact  appears  to 
have  been  the  case.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
Book  of  Acts  to  indicate  that  the  Apostles  under- 
took to  provide  one  form  of  ecclesiastical  organ- 
ization for  all  localities,  even  in  their  own  time, 
much  less  for  all  places  and  all  times.  In  short, 
there  is  but  little  to  indicate  what  was  the  organ- 
ization, if  any,  of  the  apostolic  churches,  and 
nothing  to  indicate  that  this  organization,  what- 
ever it  may  have  been,  is  the  best  for  our  own 
changed  times  and  circumstances. 

The  true  use  of  the  Book  of  Acts  for  us  is 
indicated  by  its  object,  as  defined  above.  In  it 
we  study  the  church  of  God  in  action.  We  are 
to  imbibe  the  spirit  of  the  apostles,  learn  the 
principles  which  gave  them  their  power,  and 
imitate,  though  not  blindly,  nor  without  regard 
to  the  change  of  times  and  conditions,  the  meth- 
ods which  they  employed.  He  who  does  this, 
studies  the  Book  of  Acts  to  far  wiser  purpoge 
than  he  who  endeavors  to  construct  out  of  its 
imperfect  and  fragmentary  hints,  a  complete 
system  of  church  government  and  order.  Thus, 
for  example,  the  remarkable  specimens  of  sacred 
oratory  which  this  book  contains,  constitute 
models  for  the  study  of  the  Christian  worker  in 
all  ages.  In  Peter's  Pentecostal  address  we  have 
the  apostolic  revival  sermon  ;  in  Stephen's  dying 
speech,  the  martyr's  plea ;  in  Paul's  sermon  at 
Antioch  in  Pisidia,  the  apostle's  sermon  to  the 
Jews ;  in  his  speech  to  the  people  of  Lycaonia, 
the  apostolic  missionaries'  address  to  the  hea- 
then ;  in  his  speech  at  Athens,  the  apostle's 
argument  with  rationalism.  So,  again,  while  the 
government  of  the  primitive  churches  is  uncer- 
tain, even  if  they  had  one  common  form  of  gov- 
ernment, which  is  doubtful,  the  spirit  of  prayer, 
of  consecration,  of  rejoicing,  of  spiritual  sympa- 
thy, and  of  practical  helpfulness  which  inspired 
them,  and  which  is  indicated  by  such  pictures  as 
that  of  ch.  2  :  43-47  (see  notee  there),  is  not  doubtful, 
nor  is  the  force  of  its  example  weakened  by 
change  of  time,  place,  or  circumstances.  In 
brief,  the  important  theme  for  our  study  is  not 
the  external  form,  but  the  inward  Spirit ;  not 
the  mechanism,  but  the  power  which  moved  it ; 
hot  the  body,  but  the  soul ;  not  the'anatomy,  but 
the  psychology  of  the  apostolic  churches. 

The  life  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  Our  only  au- 
thentic information  respecting  the  life  and  labors 


of  the  first  and  the  greatest  missionary  of  the  Gos- 
pel is  wholly  derived  from  the  Book  of  Acts.  For 
the  convenience  of  those  who  wish  to  study  that 
life  I  embody  here  a  brief  outline,  referring  the 
reader,  for  a  consideration  of  all  doubtful  ques- 
tions in  chronology,  to  the  notes,  and  for  a  con- 
sideration of  the  date  and  composition  of  the 
epistles  to  the  introductions  which  accompany 
them. 

All  that  we  know  of  the  early  life  of  Paul  is 
derived  from  occasional  passages  in  his  letters 
and  speeches;  e.  g.,  Acts  ai  :b9;  23  :  3 ;  Phil. 
3  :  4r-6.  He  was  born  in  Tarsus  of  Cilicia,  and 
brought  up  to  the  occupation  of  a  tent-maker. 
His  father  being  a  Roman  citizen,  Saul,'  as  he 
was  then  called,  was  free-born.  By  reason 
of  intercourse  with  the  Greek  population  of 
his  native  city,  he  acquired  the  Greek  language  ; 
but  his  parents,  being  of  the  stricter  sect  of  Phar- 
isees, had  therefore  an  abhorrence  of  Greek  cul- 
ture, and  there  is  no  reason  to  believe  he  received 
an  education  in  the  schools  for  which  Tarsus  was 
then  famous.  He  was  early  sent  to  Jerusalem, 
where  he  was  "brought  up,"  i.  e.,  from  early 
youth, 2  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  the  most  distin- 
guished doctor  of  the  Jewish  law.  He  learned 
to  regard  the  Jewish  law  as  an  object  of  almost 
idolatrous  regard,  and  whatever  seemed  to 
weaken  its  authority  he  conceived  to  be  a  foe  to 
God,  to  be  resisted  unto  death.  His  intense  zeal 
against  the  new  religion  made  him  a  leader  of 
persecution  against  the  early  Christians,  and  it 
is  as  such  we  first  meet  him.^  When  Stephen, 
the  first  martyr,  was  slain,  Saul  is  described  as 
consenting  to  his  death,  and  holding  the  outer 
garments  of  the  witnesses  who  cast  the  first 
stones.  He  persecuted  the  disciples  from  city 
to  city,  pursuing  them  even  to  death.  Of  his 
miraculous  conversion  while  pursuing  the  disci- 
ples to  Damascus,  the  three  accounts  (chaps.  9,  a?, 
26),  though  differing  in  some  unimportant  de- 
tails, agree  in  the  substantial  facts.^  They  all 
come  from  Paul  himself,  and  appear  never  to 
have  been  denied  during  his  lifetime.  From  his 
conversion  to  the  commencement  of  his  first 
missionary  journey  his  life  is  involved  in  some  ob- 
scurity, our  knowledge  being  derived  almost  en- 
tirely from  incidental  allusions.  From  a  compar- 
ison of  Acts  9  :  19-30  ;  11 :  35,  2G,  30  ;  33  :  17-31,  and 
Gal.  1  :  17-34,  we  leara  that  he  immediately  com- 
menced preaching  at  Damascus,  which  so  ex- 
cited the  enmity  of  the  Jews  that  he  escaped 
death  only  by  being  let  down  by  the  wall  in  a 
basket,  probably  from  the  house  of  some  Chris- 
tian disciple,  which  stood  upon  or  constituted 
a  part  of  the  wall  of  the  city.     After  three  years 

'  For  ex;ilanations  of  his  double  name  see  ch.  13  :  9, 
note. ..."  See  chap.  22  :  3,  note. . . . '  See  chap.  26  :  10, 
11,  note;  comp.  1  Tim.  1 :  13....  *  See  note  on  Saul's 
conversion,  chap.  9  : 1-9. 


18 


THE  ACTS. 


(part  of  this  time  being  spent  in  Arabia,  proba- 
bly studying  the  O.  T.  Scriptures),  he  went  to 
Jerusalem,  which  was  still  the  centre  of  the 
Christian  Church,  where  the  disciples  viewed 
him  with  suspicion,  and  it  was  not  until  Barna- 
bas told  the  story  of  his  conversion  that  he  was 
received  among  them.  His  first  desire  being  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  his  own  nation,  when  the 
Lord  appeared  to  him  in  a  trance  in  the  Temple, 
and  bade  him  leave  Jerusalem,  he  remonstrated, 
believing  that  as  the  Jews  had  known  him  as  a 
persecutor,  they  would  be  more  ready  to  receive 
his  testimony  to  the  power  of  the  truth ;  but, 
when  the  command  was  repeated,  he  yielded  and 
returned  to  Tarsus,  where  he  remained  until 
Barnabas  went  for  and  brought  him  to  Antioch. 
From  this  time  the  Book  of  Acts  is  little  else 
than  the  story  of  his  life  and  missionary  labors. 
It  may  be  conveniently  divided  into  four  sec- 
tions. 

Mrst  missionary  tour.  As  the  result  of  a  spe- 
cial occasion  of  fasting  and  prayer,  Paul  and 
Barnabas  are  ordained  as  the  first  missionaries, 
and  set  out,  taking  with  them  John  Mark  as  an 
assistant.  They  embark  at  Seleucia,  the  port  of 
Antioch,  for  the  island  of  Cyprus.  Here  the 
Roman  proconsul,  Sergius  Paulus,  is  converted, 
and  Elymas,  or  Bar-jesus,  is  smitten  with  blind- 
ness. From  this  time  the  apostle  adopts  his  new 
name,  Paul,  which  is  now  first  mentioned,  and 
by  which  he  is  always  subsequently  called. 

From  Cyprus  John  Mark  returns,  probably 
deterred  by  the  dangers  of  the  journey,  while 
Paul  and  Barnabas  cross  over  to  Perga,  on  the 
main  coast,  intending  to  penetrate  the  districts 
of  Pisidia  and  Lycaonia.  Their  first  stopping 
place  was  Antioch  in  Pisidia  ;  driven  thence  by 
persecution,  they  visited  in  succession  the  cities 
of  Iconium,  Lystra,  and  Derbe.  At  Lystra  a  mira- 
cle performed  upon  a  cripple  brought  together  a 
crowd  of  ignorant  people,  who  are  subsequently 
incited  by  Jews  from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  and 
stone  Paul,  leaving  him  for  dead,  though  only 
stunned.  But  these  persecutions  do  not  pre- 
vent him  from  visiting  all  these  cities  on  his  re- 
turn to  Antioch  in  Syria,  after  an  absence  which 
is  supposed  to  have  lasted  about  a  year.  The 
broad  command  to  "  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature"  was  evidently  but  very  imperfectly 
understood  by  the  Apostolic  Church.  Many 
disciples  were  not  prepared  to  go  further  than 
to  say  that  heathen  might  become  Christians  by 
submitting  to  circumcision,  accepting  the  Jew- 
ish law,  and  so  becoming  Jews.  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas, on  the  contrary,  maintained  that  Christ 
was  free  to  every  creature.  To  settle  this  dis- 
pute a  council  was  called  at  Jerusalem,  which 
resulted  in  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  work 
of  Paul  and  of  his  principles. 
/Second    missionary  journey.      This    occupied 


three  or  four  years.  The  incidents  are  recorded  in 
Acts  15  :  36-41  to  18  :  23.  It  is  memorable  for  its 
extent,  duration,  and  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity into  Europe.  Paul  proposing  to  Barna- 
bas to  revisit  the  churches  they  had  established, 
Barnabas  insisted  on  taking  John  Mark  with 
them,  to  which  Paul  would  not  consent.  A  dis- 
pute arose,  which  resulted  iu  their  separation, 
and  Paul  departed,  accompanied  by  Silas.  Be- 
ginning at  Antioch  in  Syria,  he  visited  CUicia, 
Lycaonia,  Phrygia,  Galatia,  Mysia,  and  the 
Troad,  and  in  Europe,  Macedonia,  Athens,  and 
Corinth ;  thence  he  crossed  the  ^gean  Sea  to 
Ephesus,  and  thence,  by  Csesarea,  to  Jerusalem, 
whence,  after  a  hasty  visit,  he  returned  to  An- 
tioch in  Syria.  It  was  on  this  journey  he  organ- 
ized the  churches  at  Thessalonica  and  PhiUppi, 
and  also  first  preached  the  Gospel  at  Athens. 
At  PhUippi  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of  Paul 
and  Silas,  and  the  conversion  of  the  jailor,  oc- 
curred. 

Third  missionary  tour.  The  account  of  this  tour 
is  contained  in  Acts  18  :  23  to  21 :  17.  His  course, 
as  indicated  in  the  accompanying  map,  is  some- 
what hypothetical.  He  passed  through  Galatia 
and  Phrygia,  "strengthening  all  the  disciples" 
(Acts  8 :  23),  and  thence  came  intp  Ephesus.  This 
city  was  to  the  Asia  of  the  N.  T,  what  Corinth 
was  to  Greece  and  Rome  to  Italy,  and  it  may  be 
regarded  as  the  central  object  of  this  third  apos- 
tolic journey.  Here  occurred  his  conflict  with 
the  witchcraft  of  which  Ephesus  was  headquar- 
ters, and  here  he  spent  over  two  years  in  the 
ministry  of  the  Gospel.  His  subsequent  course 
may  be  traced  with  considerable  accuracy  in 
Acts,  ch.  20.  From  Ephesus  he  went  up  the 
coast  to  Troas  (2  Cor.  2 :  12),  and  thence  into  Mace- 
donia, probably  visiting  the  churches  at  Philippi, 
Thessalonica,  Perea,  etc.,  and  spending  three 
months  in  Greece,  probably  in  Corinth.  Thence 
he  returned,  partly  by  land  and  partly  by  water, 
along  the  coast  of  the  Mgean  Sea.  At  Potara 
he  took  ship  direct  to  Tyre,  and  so  came,  via 
Csesarea,  to  the  end  of  his  third  missionaiy  tour 
at  Jerusalem. 

Arrest,  imprisonment,  and  shipwreck.  Acts  21 :  18 
to  chap.  28.  In  consequence  of  a  mob  incited  by 
the  Jews  against  Paul,  he  is  arrested  by  the  Ro- 
man authorities,  sent  to  Ca^sarea,  the  Roman 
military  headquarters  of  Judea,  tried  first  before 
Felix,  then  before  Festus  and  Agrippa,  and  final- 
ly, having  appealed  to  Caesar,  which  every  Ro- 
man citizen  had  a  right  to  do,  is  sent  to  Rome. 
The  minute  account  of  this  voyage,  its  perils  and 
shipwreck,  afford  a  remarkable  opportunity  for 
the  verification  of  N.  T.  history.  See  notes  on 
chap.  27. 

Subsequent  history.  The  N.  T.  history  of 
Paul  ends  with  his  first  imprisonment  in  Rome. 
His  subsequent  history  is  not  known  with  cer- 


THE  ACTS. 


19 


tainty.  It  appears  probable,  however,  that 
at  the  end  of  two  years  his  case  was  heard  by 
Nero,  who  acquitted  him  (a.  d.  63) ;  that  he  then 
spent  a  period,  which  some  reckon  at  five  years, 
others  at  two  or  three,  in  journeys  of  uncertain 
extent,  but  which  brought  him  again  to  Ephe- 
Bus.  Here  he  is  supposed  to  have  been  again 
arrested  and  carried  to  Rome ;  but  at  all  events 
it  is  tolerably  certain  that  he  was  Imprisoned 


there  a  second  time,  condemned  by  Nero,  and 
put  to  death  in  the  great  persecution  of  the 
Christians  by  that  emperor.  According  to  the 
uniform  tradition  the  apostle  was  beheaded, 
without  scourging  (as  the  privilege  of  his  citi- 
zenship), outside  the  gate  leading  to  the  port  of 
Ostea.  The  date  of  his  death  appears  to  have 
been  about  midsummer,  a.  d.  66  or  67. 
Chronology.    The  chronology  of  the  Book 


/ ARABIA 


Longitude  East 


MAP  OF   PAUL'S   FIRST  AND   SECOND   MISSIONARY  JOURNEYS. 


of  Acts  is  involved  in  much  obscurity,  and  has 
given  rise  to  much  discussion  among  scholars. 
It  can  probably  never  be  settled  with  any  degree 
of  certainty.  The  following  table,  taken  sub- 
stantially from  Conybeare  and  Howson,  may  help 
the  student  in  tracing  the  course  of  its  history, 
though  he  must  not  forget  that  the  dates  are 


largely  hypothetical,  A  more  complicated  and 
elaborate  table  will  be  found  in  Alford's  Greek 
Testament,  with  dates  different  in  some  re- 
spects ;  and  in  Davidson's  Introduction  to  the 
N.  T.  (Vol.  n.)  is  one  giving  in  a  tabular  form 
the  various  views  of  thirty-four  different  schol- 
ars. 


20 


THE  ACTS. 

CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


30 
30 
to 
36 
36 

37 

38 

39 

40 
41 
42 
43 
44 


45 
46 

47 

48 

49 
50 

51 

52 

53 
54 


58 


63 


New  Testambnt  Histobt. 


The  ascension  (May  18). 
The  events  related  in  Acts,  ch.  2  :  42  to  6 : 8. 
Martyrdom  of  Stephen ;  extension  of  church 
through  persecution,  chaps.  6  : 8  to  8  :  40. 
St.  Paul  8  conversion. 

At  Damascus. 

Flight  from  Damascus  to  Jerusalem,  and 
thence  to  Tarsus. 

During  three  years  St.  Paul  preaches  in 
Syria  and  COicia,  making  Tarsus  his  head- 
quarters, and  probably  undergoes  most  of 
the  sufferings  mentioned  at  2  Cor.  11 :  24-27, 
viz.,  tvyo  of  the  Roman  and  the  five  Jevpish 
scourgings,  and  three  shipwrecks. 

He  is  brought  from  Tarsus  to  Antioch  (Acts 
11 :  26),  and  stays  there  a  year  before  the 
famine. 

He  visits  Jerusalem  with  Barnabas,  to  re- 
lieve the  famine. 

At  Antioch. 

At  Antioch. 

His   "  First    Missionary   Journey,"   from 

Antioch  to 
Cyprus,  Antioch  in  Pisidia, 
Iconium,  Lystra,  Derbe, 
and  back  through  the  same  places  to 
Antioch. 

St.  Paul  and  Barnabas  attend  the  "  Council 
of  Jerusalem." 


His  "Second  Missionary  Journey,"  from 

Antioch  to 
Cilicia,  Lycaonia, 
Galatia, 
Troas, 

Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Beroea, 
Athens,  and 

Corinth— Writes  1  Thess, 
At  Corinth— Writes  2  Thess. 


(Spring) — He  leaves  Corinth  and  reaches 
(Summer)    Jerusalem    at    Pentecost,    and 

thence  goes  to  Antioch. 
(Autumn)— His  "Third   Missionary   Jour- 
ney." 
He  goes  to 
Ephesus. 
At  Ephesus. 
At  Ephesus. 

^Spring)  He  writes  1  Cor. 
(Summer)  Leaves  Ephesus  for  Macedonia, 

(Autumn)   where   he  writes  2  Cor.,  and 

thence 
(Winter)  to  Corinth,  where  he  writes  Ga- 

latians. 
(Spring)    He  writes   Romans,  and    leaves 

Corinth,  going  by  Philippi  and  Miletus 
(Summer)  to  Jerusalem  (Pentecost),  where 

he  is  arrested,  and  sent  to  Csesarea. 
At  Caesarea. 
(Autumn)— Sent  to  Rome  by  Festus  (about 

August). 
(Winter)— Shipwrecked  at  Malta. 
(Spring)— He  arrives  at  Rome. 

At  Rome. 

{ Philemon, 
(Spring)— Writes -<  Colossians, 
I  Ephesians. 
(Autumn) — Writes  Philippians. 
(Spring)— He  is  acquitted  and  probably  goes 
to  Macedonia  (Phil.  2  :  24)  and  Colosse 
(Philemon  23). 


CONTEMPOBABT  EVENTS. 


Tiberius  emperor  of  Rome. 


Death  of  Tiberius  and  accession  of  Caligula 
(March  16). 


Death  of  Caligula  and  accession  of  Claudius 
(Jan.  25),  Judeea  and  Samaria  given  to 
Herod  Agrippa  I. 

Invasion  of  Britain  by  Aulus  Plautius. 

Death  of  Herod  Agrippa  I  (Acts  12). 

Cuspius  Fadus  (as  procurator)  succeeds  to 
the  government  of  Jndsea. 


Tiberius  Alexander  made  procurator  of  Ju- 
dsea  (about  this  time). 


Agrippall  (Acts  25 :  24)  made  king  of  Chalcis. 


Cumanus  made  procurator  of  Judsea  (about 

this  time). 
Caractacus   captured   by   the   Romans   in 

Britain. 
Cogidunus   (father   of  Claudia  (?\  2  Tim. 

4  :  21),  assists  the  Romans  in  Britain. 


Claudius  expels  the  Jews  from  Rome  (Acts 
18 : 2). 

The  tetrarchy  of  Trachonitis  given  to  Agrip- 
pa II; 
FeUx  made  procurator  of  Judaea. 

Death  of  Claudius  and  accession  of  Nero 
(Oct.  13). 


Nero  murders  Agrippina. 

Felix  is  recalled,  and  succeeded  by  Festus. 


Embassy  from  Jerusalem  to  Rome  to  peti- 
tion about  the  wall. 
Burrus  dies ; 

Alblnus  succeeds  Festus  as  procurator ; 
Nero  marries  Poppsea  ; 
Octavia  executed ; 
Pallas  put  to  death. 
Poppaja's  daughter  Claudia  bom. 


GAZETTEER. 


Achaia.  In  the  N.  T.  it  signifies  a  Roman 
province  which  included  the  whole  of  the  Pelo- 
ponnesus, and  the  greater  part  of  Hellas  proper, 
with  the  adjacent  islands.  This  province,  with 
that  of  Macedonia,  comprehended  the  whole  of 
Greece ;  hence  Achaia  and  Macedonia  are  fre- 
quently mentioned  together  in  the  N.  T.  to 
indicate  all  Greece.    Acts  18  :  12. 

Accho.  Now  called  Acre,  or  more  usually 
by  Europeans,  St.  Jean  d'Acre,  the  most  im- 
portant seaport  town  on  the  Syrian  coast,  about 
thirty  miles  south  of  Tyre.  The  only  notice  of  it 
In  the  N.  T.  is  in  connection  with  Paul's  passage 
from  Tyre  to  Caesarea,  where  it  is  called  by  its 
Egyptian  name,  Ptolemais.    Acts  21  :  7. 

Adria.  This  term  occurs  but  once  in  the 
Scriptures.  As  there  used  it  includes  not  only 
the  Venetian  Gulf,  but  aU  that  part  of  the  Medi- 
terranean between  Crete  and  Sicily.  Ptolemy 
bounds  Italy  on  the  south,  Sicily  on  the  east, 
Greece  on  the  south  and  west,  and  Crete  on  the 
west  by  Adria,  or  the  Adriatic  sea.  Its  bounds 
are  only  important  as  fixing  the  site  of  Paul's 
shipwreck.    Acts  27  :  27. 

Adramytium.  A  city  of  Asia,  by  some  com- 
mentators erroneously  confounded  with  Adram- 
etum  in  Africa.  It  was  situated  on  the  coast  of 
Mysia  {q.  v,)  at  the  head  of  an  extensive  bay, 
facing  the  island  of  Lesbos.  It  has  no  Biblical 
interest  except  that  Paul's  voyage  from  Caesarea 
was  made  in  a  ship  belonging  to  this  place. 
Acts  27  :  2. 

Alexandria.  A  celebrated  city  and  seaport 
of  Egypt  on  the  Mediterranean,  twelve  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Nile,  named  in 
honor  of  Alexander  the  Great,  who  founded  it 
B.  C.  332.    Acts  18  :  24. 

Amphipolis.  A  city  of  Macedonia  on  the 
river  Strymon,  thirty-three  Roman  miles  from 
Philippi.  Its  site  is  now  occupied  by  a  village 
called  Neokhorio.    Acts  17  : 1. 

Antioch.  Two  cities  of  this  name  are  in 
Syria,  and  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  both  connected 
with  the  life  and  labors  of  Paul.  Antioch  in 
Syria  was  a  city  with  more  than  500,000  souls. 
It  is  now  a  village  of  but  a  few  thousand  inhab- 
itants, and  the  only  remnant  of  Christianity  is  in 
the  name  of  the  eastern  gate,  which  is  called 
after  Paul.  Acts  11  :  19-30 ;  13  : 1-3  ;  14  :  26-28 ; 
15  :  30-35.  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  a  town  on  the 
border  of  Phrygia,  was  at  the  time  of  Paul  a 
Roman  colony.  It  is  now  identified  with  the 
modem  Talobatch.  Acts  13  :  14 ;  14  :  19-22 ; 
18  :  22. 


Antipatris.  A  town  in  Palestine  built  by 
Herod  the  Great,  and  named  after  his  father, 
Antipater.  It  is  situated  between  Jerusalem 
and  Caesarea,  and  is  now  a  village  called  Kefr 
Saba.    Acts  23  :  31. 

Apollonia.  A  city  of  Macedonia  about 
thirty  Roman  miles  from  Amphibolis.  Acta 
17  :  1. 

Appi  Forum.  A  well  known  station  forty- 
three  miles  from  Rome  in  the  Appian  Bay  leading 
from  Rome  to  the  Bay  of  Naples.  The  "Three 
Taverns  "  was  a  wayside  inn,  and  a  customary 
resort  of  travelers,  ten  miles  nearer  Rome.  Both 
are  mentioned  by  Cicero.    Acts  28  :  15. 

Areopagrus,  or  Mars  Hill.  A  narrow  naked 
ridge  of  limestone- rock  at  Athens,  sloping  up- 
ward from  the  north,  and  terminating  in  an 
abrupt  precipice  on  the  south,  fifty  or  sixty  feet 
above  a  valley  which  divides  it  from  the  west 
end  of  the  Acropolis.  The  court  of  the  Areopa- 
gus was  simply  an  open  space  on  the  highest 
summit  of  the  hill,  the  judges  sitting  in  the  open 
air,  on  rude  seats  of  stone  hewn  out  in  the  solid 
rock.  This  was  the  site  of  what  we  may  call  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Athens.  On  the  spot  occupied 
by  this  court,  a  long  series  of  awful  causes, 
connected  with  crime  and  religion,  had  been  de- 
cided, beginning  with  the  legendary  trial  by  the 
other  gods  of  Mars  the  god  of  war,  for  mur- 
der, which  gave  to  the  place  its  name.  Acts 
17  :  19. 

Ashdod.  The  Azotus  of  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  a  city  of  the  Philistines,  on  the  sea- 
coast  about  midway  between  Gaza  and  Joppa. 
Acts  8  :  40. 

Asia.  The  origin  of  this  name  is  obscure,  but 
as  a  designation  of  one  of  the  greater  divisions 
of  the  known  world,  it  came  into  use  in  the  fifth 
century  before  Christ.  In  the  O.  T.  it  does  not 
occur.  In  the  N.  T.  it  is  used  in  a  narrower 
sense  for  a  Roman  province  which  embraced  the 
western  part  of  Asia  Minor  and  of  which  Ephesus 
was  the  capital.  Acts  2  :  9 ;  6  :  9 ;  16  : 6 ;  19  :  10, 
22,  26. 

Assos.  A  seaport  of  Lesser  Mysia  in  the 
^gean  Sea.  Its  site  is  now  occupied  by  a  vil- 
lage called  Beiram.    Acts  20  :  13. 

Athens.  A  city  of  Greece  distinguished  for 
the  military  talent,  learning,  and  eloquence  of  its 
inhabitants.  Devastated  by  war,  by  time,  and 
by  repeated  changes  of  masters,  it  is  now  a  mass 
of  ruins.  For  description  of  its  condition  at  the 
time  of  Paul's  visit  to  it,  see  notes  on  Acta 
17:16-34. 


24 


GAZETTEER 


Attalia*  A  maritime  town  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  Catambactes,  in  Pamphylia,  now  exist- 
ing under  the  name  of  Adalia  ;  population  8000. 
Acts  14  :  25. 

Azotus.    See  Ashdod.    Acts  8  :  40. 

Babylon.  The  name  given  to  the  capital  of 
the  Babylonian  monarchy,  and  also  to  the  mon- 
archy itself.  Babylon,  the  capital,  was  probably 
the  largest  and  most  magnificent  city  of  the 
ancient  world.  It  was  built  in  the  form  of  a 
square  upon  both  sides  of  tbe  Euphrates,  and 
enclosed  within  a  vast  system  of  double  walls, 
measuring,  according  to  the  least  estimate,  forty 
miles,  or  ten  each  way.    Acts  7  :  43. 

Berea*  A  city  of  Macedonia,  now  existing 
under  the  name  of  Verria,  with  a  population  of 
18,000  or  20,000  and  placed  in  the  second  rank  of 
the  cities  of  European  Turkey.     Acts  17  :  10-14. 

Bithynia.  A  province  of  Asia  Minor,  men- 
tioned only  in  Acts  16  :  7,  and  in  1  Peter  1  : 1. 

Caesarea.  A  celebrated  city  of  Palestine  on 
the  Mediterranean  sea-coast,  about  seventy  miles 
N.  W.  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  sometimes  called 
Caesarea  Palestina  to  distinguish  it  from  Caesarea 
Philippi.  The  site  is  still  called  Kaisariyeh. 
Acts  8  :  40 ;  9  :  30  ;  11  :  11 ;  12  :  19 ;  18  :  23 ; 
21  :  8,  16. 

Cappadocia*  The  most  easterly  region  of 
Asia  Minor.    Acts  2  :  9. 

Cenchrea.  The  eastern  harbor  of  Corinth, 
from  which  it  was  distant  about  nine  mUes.  The 
modern  village  of  Kikries  now  occupies  the  site 
of  Cenchrea,  and  some  remnants  of  the  moles  are 
still  visible.    Acts  18  :  18. 

Chanaan,  or  Canaan.  The  name  given  to 
that  portion  of  Palestine  which  lay  to  the  west 
of  the  Jordan  to  distinguish  it  from  Gilead,  the 
name  given  to  the  high  table-land  east  of  the 
Jordan.  The  territory  so  called  extended  from 
the  boundary  of  Syria  on  the  north  to  Gaza  on 
the  south,  and  from  the  Jordan  to  the  Medi- 
terranean.   Acts  7  ;  11. 

Charran.    See  Haran.    Acts  7  :  2,  4. 

Chios.  A  beautiful  island  in  the  .^Egean  Sea 
between  Samos  and  Lesbos.  It  is  now  called 
Scio.    Acts  20  :  15. 

Cilicia.  The  most  southeasterly  province 
of  Asia  Minor,  divided  by  Mount  Amanus  from 
Syria,  with  which  it  is  sometimes  coupled.  Acts 
6  :  9 ;  21  :  39  ;  22  :  3. 

Clauda.  An  island  off  the  southwest  coast 
of  Crete,  under  the  lee  of  which  the  vessel  in 
Paul's  voyage  to  Italy  had  to  run.  Now  called 
Gozzo.    Acts  27  :  16. 

Cnidus.  A  peninsula  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Mg&an  Sea,  between  the  islands  of  Coos  and 
Rhodes.    Acts  27  :  7. 


Corinth.  This  city  is  alike  rer:  arkable  for  its 
distinctive  geographical  position,  its  eminence  in 
Greek  and  Roman  history,  and  its  close  connec- 
tion with  the  spread  of  Christianity.  It  was  the 
capital  of  a  small  district  called  Isthmus,  "a 
bridge  of  the  sea,"  which  joins  the  ancient  Pelo- 
ponnesus, the  modern  Morea,  to  the  northern 
portion  of  Greece.  Its  position  made  it  a  great 
commercial  metropolis.  The  city  has  now  shrunk 
to  a  wretched  village  on  the  old  site,  bearing  the 
corrupted  name  of  Gortho,    Acts  18  : 1. 

Coos.  A  small  island  near  the  coast  of  Caria, 
now  called  Stanco.    Acts  21  :  1. 

Crete.  A  large  island  in  the  Mediterranean, 
anciently  celebrated  for  its  one  hundred  cities. 
Acts  2  :  11 ;  27  :  12 ;  13  :  21. 

Cyprus.  A  large  island  in  the  Mediterranean, 
about  sixty  miles  from  the  coasts  of  Syria  and 
Asia  Minor ;  is  very  frequently  mentioned  in 
Scripture.  The  first  missionary  journey  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas  commenced  with  Cyprus.  Acts 
4  :  36  ;  11  :  19,  20  ;  13  :  4-12. 

Cyrene.  A  Libyan  city  founded  by  a  colony 
of  Greeks  from  Thera,  an  island  in  the  ^gean 
Sea,  about  B.  C.  632.  Simon,  who  was  compelled 
to  bear  our  Saviour's  cross,  was  a  Cyrenian,  so 
were  some  of  the  first  Christian  teachers.  Acts 
2  :  10 ;  11  :  20 ;  13  :  1. 

Damascus.  A  city  of  Western  Asia,  formerly 
the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Syria,  is  one  of  the 
most  ancient  cities  of  the  world.  The  population 
W'th  its  suburbs  is  estimpted  at  150,000.  The 
principal  street,  about  a  mile  in  length,  running 
through  the  city  from  east  to  west,  is  regarded 
by  the  Christian  population  as  "  the  street  which 
is  called  Straight,"  mentioned  in  Acts  9  :  11. 

Derbe.  A  small  town  in  Lycaonia,  probably 
near  the  pass  called  the  Cilician  gates.  The 
exact  site  is  uncertain.    Acts  14  :  6,  20  ;  16  : 1. 

Egypt.  A  region  important  from  the  earliest 
times  and  more  closely  identified  with  Bible 
incidents  than  any  other,  except  the  Holy  Land 
itself.  The  common  name  of  Egypt  in  the  Bible 
is  "Mizraim  "  {q.  v.)  or  more  fully  "the  land  of 
Mizraim."  It  occupies  the  northeastern  angle 
of  Africa,  and  its  boundaries  appear  to  have  been 
always  very  nearly  the  same.     Acts  13  :  17. 

Ephesus.  A  celebrated  city,  the  metropolis 
of  Ionia,  and  of  Proconsular  Asia  under  the 
Romans ;  located  in  a  fertile  plain  south  of  the 
river  Cayster,  not  far  from  the  coast  of  the  Ica- 
rian  Sea.  It  is  now  an  uninhabited  ruin ;  the 
retiring  sea  has  left  its  harbor  a  pestilential 
morass.    Acts  18  :  19. 

Fair  Havens,  the.  A  harbor  or  roadstead 
off  the  south  coast  of  Crete ;  mentioned  only  in 
Acts  37  :  8.    See  note  there. 


GAZETTEER, 


25 


Galatia.  A  province  which  may  be  roughly 
described  as  the  central  region  of  the  peninsula 
of  Asia  Minor,  with  the  provinces  of  Asia  on  the 
west,  Cappadocia  on  the  east,  Paraphylia  and 
CUicia  on  the  south,  and  Bithynia  and  Pontus  on 
the  north.  The  Galatians  were  Celts  or  Gauls, 
and  possessed  that  enthusiasm  and  fickleness 
which  have  ever  been  the  characteristics  of  the 
Gallic  race.  For  full  description  of  their  char- 
acter see  Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians.    Acts  16  :  6. 

Galilee.  In  the  time  of  Christ,  Galilee  em- 
braced the  whole  northern  section  of  Palestine, 
including  the  ancient  territories  of  Issachar, 
Zebulon,  Asher,  and  Naphtali.    Acts  1  :  11. 

Gaza.  One  of  the  five  princely  cities  of  the 
Philistines  which  has  withstood  the  desolations 
of  many  generations,  and  continues  to  the  present 
time  a  comparatively  thriving  and  well  peopled 
city.  It  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  oldest 
cities  of  the  world,  since  it  is  mentioned  in  Gen. 
10  :  19  as  one  of  the  border  towns  of  the  Canaan- 
ites.  The  present  Arabic  name  of  the  city  is 
Ghuzzeh,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  from 
15,000  to  20,000,  mainly  Mohammedans.  Acts 
8  :  26. 

Greece.  A  country  lying  in  the  southeast  of 
Europe  between  36°  and  40°  north  latitude.  It 
is  sometimes  described  as  containing  the  four 
provinces  of  Macedonia,  Epirus,  Achaia  or  Hellas, 
and  Peloponnesus,  but  more  commonly  is  un- 
derstood to  comprise  the  two  latter.    Acts  20  : 2. 

Haran.  The  Charran  of  Acts  7  :  2,  4,  was 
situated  in  Mesopotamia,  or  more  exactly,  in 
Padanaram.  It  still  exists  in  the  modern  village 
of  Harran  on  the  river  Belik. 

Iconium.  A  city  of  Lycaonia  between 
Ephesus  and  the  more  easterly  cities  of  Tarsus 
and  Antioch  and  the  Euphrates.  It  is  now 
called  Konizeh.  Population  30,000.  Acts  13  :  51 ; 
14  :  19 ;  16  :  22. 

Italy.  As  used  in  the  N.  T.  denotes  the  same 
extent  of  country  that  it  does  in  modern  times  ; 
it  comprehends  the  whole  peninsula  which  reaches 
from  the  Alps  to  the  Straits  of  Messina.  It  but 
rarely  occurs  in  the  N.  T.,  and  only  as  a  general 
designation.    Acts  27  : 1. 

Jerusalem.  The  ancient  capital  of  the  Holy 
Land,  situated  in  Judea,  and  directly  west  of  the 
north  end  of  the  Dead  Sea.  It  is  2500  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  and  3600 
feet  above  the  Judean  Valley.  For  description, 
topography,  and  map,  see  Vol.  I,  page  278.  Acts 
1  :  4. 

Joppa,  or  Japho.  A  seaport  on  the  southern 
coast  of  Palestine,  forty  miles  west-northwest  of 
Jerusalem,  and  one  of  the  oldest  cities  of  the 


world.    It  is  the  Jaffa  of  modem  history.    Pres- 
ent population  15,000.    Acts  9  :  36,  42,  4;i 

Judea.  This  n;ime  is  now  frequently  applied 
to  the  whole  of  the  Holy  Land,  more  generally 
designated  as  Palestine.  Properly  speaking, 
however,  it  only  signifies  one  of  the  three  prov- 
inces into  which  Palestine  west  of  the  Jordan 
was  divided  at  the  time  of  Christ — Galilee,  Sama- 
ria, and  Judea.  The  province  of  Judea  com- 
prised the  territories  of  Judah,  Benjamin,  Simeon, 
and  parts  of  Dan,  and  it  extended  from  the 
Jordan  to  the  Mediterranean,  from  the  wilderness 
on  the  south  to  Shiloh  on  the  north,  running  up, 
however,  on  the  sea-coast  west  of  Samaria  to  a 
point  north  of  Caesarea.    Acts  1  :  8. 

Lasea.  A  town  in  Crete  near  the  Fair  Ha- 
vens where  Paul  for  a  time  was  detained.  The 
place  is  nowhere  else  mentioned,  but  it  has  been 
identified  in  comparatively  recent  times,  and  the 
name  is  stiU  borne  by  a  few  ruins.    Acts  27  :  8. 

Libya.  A  country  west  of  Egypt,  of  which 
Cyrene  was  the  capital.    Acts  2  :  10. 

Lycaonia.  One  of  the  provinces  of  Asia 
Minor.    Acts  14  :  6. 

Lystra.  A  city  of  Lycaonia  south  of  Iconium. 
The  exact  site  is  unknown.    Acts  14  : 6, 8  ;  16  : 1,2. 

Macedonia.  An  important  kingdom  of  an- 
cient Greece,  and  subsequently  a  Roman  province, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Moesia  and  Illyricum, 
on  the  south  by  Thessaly  and  Epirus,  and  on  the 
east  and  west,  respectively,  by  Thrace  and  the 
.^gean  Sea,  and  by  Epirus  and  the  Adriatic. 
Its  soil  is  fertile  and  its  cUmate  healthy.  The 
churches  at  Thessalonica  and  PhiUppi  were 
among  the  results  of  Paul's  labors  in  Macedonia. 
Acts  16  :  9. 

Madian.  See  note  on  Acts  25  :  34.  Acts 
7  :  29. 

Mars  Hill.     See  Areopagus.    Acts  17  :  22. 

Mesopotamia.  A  country  deriving  its  name 
from  its  position  between  the  great  rivers  Eu- 
phrates and  Tigris.  It  is  about  700  miles  in 
length  and  varies  in  breadth  from  20  to  240  or  250 
miles.  It  is  the  northwestern  part  which  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  Mesopotamia  of  Scripture,— the 
land  where  Abraham's  kindred  dwelt.    Acts  7  : 2. 

Miletus.  A  city  of  Asia  Minor  twenty  or 
thirty  miles  south  of  Ephesus,  where  Paul,  when 
hastening  to  Jerusalem,  summoned  the  elders  of 
Ephesus  that  he  might  give  them  a  solemn 
charge.    Acts  20  :  15-17. 

Melita.  The  name  given  in  Acts  28  : 1  to  the 
island  on  which  Paul  was  shipwrecked.  While 
there  has  been  some  difference  of  opinion  among 
scholars,  by  the  general  consent  of  most  of  those 
who  have  investigated  the  matter,  Mehta  is  iden- 
tified with  the  modem  Malta.    Acts  28  : 1. 


26 


GAZETTEER. 


Mitylene.  The  capital  of  the  ancient  island 
of  Lesbos  in  the  ^gean  Sea.    Acts  20  :  14. 

Mount  Sina,  or  Sinai.  The  wild  mountain 
region  in  Arabia  Petrea  where  the  law  was  given 
to  Moses.  Indeed  the  whole  peninsula  which 
lies  between  the  horns  of  the  Red  Sea  has  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Sinai  from  the  magnitude 
and  prominence  of  the  Sinaitic  group  of  moun- 
tains which  lies  nearly  in  its  centre.    Acts  7  :  30. 

Myra.  One  of  the  chief  towns  of  the  province 
of  Lycia.    Acts  27  :  5. 

Mysia.  The  northwestern  province  of  Asia 
Minor,  comprising  one  of  its  richest  and  most 
populous  regions.    Acts  16  :  7,  8. 

Neapolis.  A  seaport  on  the  coast  of  the 
yEgean  Sea  about  ten  miles  from  Philippi.  The 
village  of  KavaUa  is  on  the  site  of  Neapolis  and 
contains  at  present  5000  or  6000  inhabitants. 
Acts  16  :  11. 

Olivet  (Mount  of).  Directly  east  of  Jerusalem 
is  a  long  ridge  with  four  distinct  summits,  one 
outlier  starting  ofl  to  the  north  and  another  to 
the  south.  This  ridge  is  that  known  both  in  the 
O.  T.  and  the  N.  T.  as  the  Mount  of  Olives  or  of 
Olivet.  It  was  the  "Park"  of  Jerusalem.  Its 
green  slopes,  as  seen  in  the  early  spring,  even 
now  stand  out  in  refreshing  contrast  to  the 
dreary  and  withered  ruins  of  the  city  at  its  foot. 
Acts  1  :  9-12. 

Pamphylia.  One  of  the  southern  provinces 
of  Asia  Minor.  At  the  time  of  Paul  it  formed 
a  province  together  with  Lycia.  Acts  13  :  13  ; 
14:34. 

Paphos.  A  town  at  the  western  end  of  Cy- 
prus.    Acts  13  : 6. 

Patara.  A  seaport  of  Lycia  in  Asia  Minor. 
Acts  21  :  1. 

Perga.  A  city  of  Pamphylia  on  the  river 
Castrus.    Acts  13  :  13. 

Phenice,  or  Phoenicia.  A  narrow  tract  of 
country  on  the  Mediterranean  north  of  Palestine. 
Phenice  also  occurs  in  Acts  27  :  12  as  the  name 
of  a  town  in  Crete  where  the  oflScers  of  the  vessel 
in  which  Paul  was  shipwrecked  desired  to  harbor. 
It  has  been  identified  with  the  modern  Lutro. 

Philippi.  A  city  of  Macedonia,  about  ten 
miles  from  Neapolis,  its  port,  where  Paul  landed. 
The  ancient  name  is  still  applied  to  the  locality, 
but  there  are  no  inhabitants.  So  far  as  the  N.  T. 
history  directly  informs  us,  Philippi  was  the  first 
city  in  Europe  which  heard  the  gospel  preached. 
Acts  16  :  12. 

Phrygia.  A  district  of  Asia  Minor  twice 
mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  Its  limits,  as  the  term 
was  used  in  the  apostolic  age,  were  very  indefi- 
nite.   Acts  16  :  6  ;  18  :  23. 


Pisidia.  An  interior  district  of  Asia  Mi- 
nor lying  principally  on  Mount  Taurus.  Acts 
13  :  14. 

Pontus.  A  considerable  district  in  Asia 
Minor  three  times  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  It 
signified  a  country  of  various  extent  at  various 
times.    Acts  2  :  9 ;  18  :  2. 

Ptolemais.    See  Accho.    Acts  21  :  7. 

Puteoli.  This  was  the  principal  port  of 
southern  Italy,  and  commerce  brought  many 
Jews  to  Puteoli.  Hence  when  Paul  landed  here 
on  his  way  to  Rome  he  found  brethren  ready  to 
receive  and  speed  him  on  his  journey.  It  is  now 
called  Puzzuoli.    Acts  28  :  13,  14. 

Red  Sea.  A  body  of  water  lying  east  of 
Egypt  and  Nubia  and  separating  them  from 
Arabia.  It  is  1400  mUes  long,  and  200  miles 
wide  in  its  widest  part.  In  Bible  history  it  is 
famous  for  the  passage  made  by  Israel  (Exodus, 
chap.  14)  which  took  place  near  the  head-waters 
of  what  is  now  known  as  the  Gulf  of  Suez.  In 
the  N.  T.  it  is  referred  to  only  in  connection  with 
this  event.    Acts  7  :  36.     Heb.  11  :  29. 

Rhegium.  A  city  of  Italy  situated  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  peninsula,  now  called 
Reggio,  where  Paul  landed  on  his  journey  to 
Rome.  It  is  at  present  one  of  the  most  flourish- 
ing towns  of  southern  Italy,  with  a  population  of 
9000.    Acts  38  :  13. 

Rhodes.  An  island  ofl  the  coast  of  Asia  Mi- 
nor, over  against  Caria.  Its  present  population 
is  about  20,000.    Acts  31  : 1. 

Rome  (City  of).  The  capital  of  the  Roman 
Empire.,  situated  on  the  Tiber  about  fifteen  miles 
from  its  mouth.  The  famous  seven  hills  which 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  ancient  city  still  stand 
on  the  left  bank,  and  the  remains  of  many  of  the 
buildings  erected  by  the  Roman  Emperors  still 
remain.  To  the  N.  T.  student  the  city  is  chiefly 
of  interest  in  connection  with  the  visit  of  Paul 
and  the  epistle  to  the  Romans.  At  the  time  of 
this  visit  the  city  must  be  imagined  as  a  large 
and  irregular  mass  of  buildings,  unprotected  by 
an  outer  wall ;  the  streets  were  narrow  and  wind- 
ing, the  houses  lofty  and  densely  crowded.  The 
population  was  probably  a  little  larger  than  the 
city  of  New  York  in  1875  ;  one-half  were  slaves, 
of  the  remainder  a  large  proportion  were  pau- 
pers ;  there  was  a  small  proportion  of  wealthy 
and  profligate  nobility,  but  apparently  no  middle 
industrial  classes.  Untrustworthy  traditions 
connect  various  sites  with  Paul's  stay  in  the  city. 
Some  of  the  ruins  are  of  value  because  illustra- 
ting Scripture.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
famous  Arch  of  Titus,  erected  to  celebrate  his 
triumph,  and  which  contains  bas  reliefs  of  some 
of  the  sacred  vessels  of  the  Jewish  Temple. 
Acts  3  :  10. 


GAZETTEER. 


27 


I 


Rome  (Empire  of).  The  boundaries  of  the 
Roman  Empire  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  era  were,  the  Atlantic  on  the  west ;  the 
Euphrates  on  the  east ;  the  Desert  of  Africa,  the 
Cataracts  of  the  Nile,  and  the  Arabian  Deserts 
on  the  south ;  the  British  Channel,  the  Rhine, 
the  Danube,  and  the  Black  Sea  on  the  north. 
The  only  independent  powers  of  importance 
were  the  Parthians  on  the  east  and  the  Germans 
on  the  north.  The  population  of  the  empire  in 
the  time  of  Augustus  has  been  variously  estima- 
ted at  from  85,000,000  to  130,000,000.  This  in- 
cludes the  population  of  the  provinces,  i.  e.  the 
countries  conquered  by  Rome  and  usually  gov- 
erned by  Roman  officials. 

Salamis.  A  seaport  town  on  the  eastern 
coast  of  Cyprus.  It  was  here  that  Paul  and 
Barnabas  landed,  being  the  nearest  point  to 
Seleucia.    Acts  13  :  4,  5. 

Salmone.  A  promontory  on  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  island  of  Crete.     Acts  27  :  7. 

Samaria.  The  province  of  Samaria  once 
included  all  of  Palestine  north  of  Judea.  That 
portion  east  of  the  Jordan  which  originally  be- 
longed to  it  was  taken  away  by  the  kings  of 
Assyria;  then  the  northern  portion  shared  the 
same  fate ;  and  Samaria  was  reduced  to  the 
dimensions  which  it  possessed  at  the  time  of 
Christ.    Acts  1  :  8. 

Samos.  An  island  on  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor 
midway  between  the  points  occupied  by  Ephesus 
and  MUetus.    Acts  20  :  15. 

Samothracia.  A|  lofty  and  conspicuous  is- 
land north  of  Lemnos,  in  the  ^gean  Sea,  ofE  the 
coast  of  Thrace,  now  called  Samotraki.  Acts 
16  :  11. 

Saron,  or  Sharon.  A  level  tract  between 
Mount  Carmel  and  Joppa,  in  which  Lydda  stood. 
Acts  9  :  35. 

Seleucia.  There  are  various  cities  of  this 
name  in  Syria  and  Asia  Minor,  but  the  only  one 
noticed  in  Scripture  is  the  one  which  stood  at 


the  mouth  of  the  Orontes,  and  formed  the  sea- 
port of  Antioch.    Acts  13  :  4. 

Sidon,  or  Zidon.  An  ancient  city  of  Phoeni- 
cia about  twenty  miles  north  of  Tyre,  and  nearly 
forty  miles  south  of  Beirut.  The  modem  name 
is  Saida.    Acts  13  :  20. 

Sychem.  A  celebrated  city  of  Palestme 
called  also  Shechem,  Sichem,  and  Sychar,  and  of 
great  antiquity,  for  it  was  in  existence  when 
Abraham  entered  Canaan.  It  is  located  in  a 
valley  between  Mount  Ebal  and  Gerizim,  about 
seven  miles  south  of  Samaria.    Acts  7  :  16. 

Syracuse.  An  ancient  city  in  the  southeastern 
coast  of  SicUy.    Acts  28  :  13. 

Syria.  The  region  from  east  to  west  between 
the  Mediterranean  and  the  Euphrates,  and  from 
north  to  south  between  the  Lebanon  and  the 
borders  of  the  desert.    Acts  18  :  18. 

Tarsus.  The  capital  of  the  province  of  Cilicia, 
a  large  and  populous  city  on  the  river  Cydmus. 
It  is  now  a  town  with  about  20,000  inhabitants, 
and  is  described  as  being  a  den  of  poverty,  filth, 
and  ruins.    Acts  9  :  11, 30  ;  11  :  25. 

Thessalonica.  A  city  of  Macedonia,  now 
the  second  city  of  European  Turkey  with  70,000 
inhabitants,  under  the  slightly  corrupted  name 
of  Salonike.    Acts  17  : 1-9. 

Thyatira.  A  town  of  Lydia  situated  on  the 
river  Lycus.  It  is  still  a  considerable  town  with 
many  ruins,  called  Akhissar.  Acts  16  :  14  ;  Rev. 
1:3. 

Troas.  A  seaport  town  near  to  the  Helles- 
pont, sometimes  considered  as  belonging  to  the 
Lesser  Mysia.    Acts  16  :  8,  11 ;  20  :  5,  6. 

Trogyllium.  A  small  to^vn  at  the  foot  of 
the  promontory  of  Mycale,  opposite  to  the  island 
of  Samos.    Acts  20  :  15. 

Tyre.  A  celebrated  city  of  Phoenicia,  situated 
on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Mediterranean.  Pres- 
ent population  3000  or  4000,  half  being  Chris- 
tians.   Acts  13  :  20. 


TBADITIONAIi  POBTBAITS  OF  PETER  AND  PAXJL. 


These  portraits  are  copied,  same  size  as  the  original,  from  the  hottom  of  a  gilded 
glass  cup,  fonnd  in  the  Catacombs  of  St.  Sebastian  at  Home.  The  earliest  interments 
by  the  Christians  in  the  Roman  catacombs  included,  besides  Christian  symbols, 
eome  objects  of  pagan  regard.  This  having  been  the  case  in  the  section  in  which 
the  glass  cup  bearing  the  group  of  the  Saviour,  Paul,  and  Peter  was  discovered,  it 
seems  conclusive  that  the  age  was  probably  the  fourth,  if  not  the  third  century.  The 
absence  of  the  nimbus  (glory  or  circle)  about  the  heads  of  Peter  and  Paul,  and  its 
presence  around  the  Saviour's,  may  indicate  the  third  century  or  early  in  the  fourth ; 
for  the  nimbus  was  generally  used  around  the  heads  of  all  saints  and  divine  persons 
in  the  latter  half  of  the  fourth  century.  TertuUian  speaks  of  glass  cups  as  used  in 
sacramental  services,  as  also  does  Eusebius.  In  this  picture  the  Saviour  is 
represented  as  presenting  a  crown  of  life  to  the  apostles ;  the  inscription  is  a  prayer 
of  the  friends  of  the  dead,  who  was  laid  in  the  tomb  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  may 
be  paraphrased,  "  Friendship's  blessing ;  may  you  live  forever  with  thy  (Saviour)." 


THE    ACTS 


OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  former  treatise  »  have  I  made,  O  Theophilus, 
of  all  that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and  teach, 

2  Until''  the  day  in  which  he  was  taken  up,  after 
that  he  through  the  Hofy  Ghost  had  given  command- 
ments •=  unto  the  apostles  whom  he  had  chosen  : 

3  To  whom  also  he  shewed  himself  alive  after  his 
passion,  by  many""  infallible  proofs,  being  seen  of  them 


forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to 
the  kingdom  of  God  ; 

4  And  being  assembled  together  with  them^  com- 
manded" them  that  they  should  not  depart  from  Jeru- 
salem, but  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father,  which, 
saith  he,  ye '  have  heard  of  me : 

5  For  John  e  truly  baptized  with  water ;  but  ye  shall 
be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,""  not  many  days 
hence. 


Luke  1  : 1-1,  etc b  verse  9;  Luke  24  :  51  ;  1  Tim.  3  :  16 c  Matt.  28  :  19;  Mark  16  :  15-19 d  Luke  24  :  16;  Jolin,ch.  20,  21....e  Luke 

24  :  49 f  John,  ch.  14  to  16 g  Matt.  3  :  ll....h  chap.  2:4;  lu  :  45  :  11  :  16. 


Ch.  1:1-14,      PREFACE.      THE   ASCENSION.      The 

CONDITION  OF  CHRISTIAN  ACTITITT,  THE  PTTLFIliMENT 
OF  THE  PROMISE  OF  THE  FATHER.— The  LIMITS  OF 
HUMAN  KNOWLEDGE  AND  THE  FOLLY  OF  HUMAN  FORE- 
TELLING.— The  source  of  the  Christian's  power. 
— The  extent  of  the  Christian's  ministry. — The 
ascension  and  the  nature  of  Christ's  second 
coming. 

A.D.  30.  May.  After  a  preface  to  his  whole 
book  (vers.  1-3)  Luke  briefly  describes  the  ascen- 
sion of  our  Lord  (vers.  4-12)  as  a  preliminary  to 
the  account,  which  immediately  follows,  of  the 
apostolic  selection  of  a  successor  to  Judas  Isca- 
riot.  The  whole  of  Chap.  I  may  be  regarded  as 
prefatory  and  preliminary  to  the  main  history 
which  begins  with  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  the  resultant  revival 
(ch.  2). 

1.  The  former  treatise.  The  Gospel  of 
Luke.  Comp.  its  introduction  ch.  1  : 1-4. — O 
Theophilus.  Of  this  person  nothing  whatever 
is  known  except  the  facts  implied  here  and  in 
the  notes  to  Luke's  Gospel.  The  variolas  conjec- 
tures may  be  seen  in  Smith's  Bible  Dictionary, 
article  Theophilus.  That  he  was  a  Christian 
appears  clear  from  Luke  1:4;  the  title  applied 
to  him,  Most  excellent  Theophilus,  indicates  rank 

as    well    as    character    (see  Acts   23  :  26  ;   24  :  3  ;   26  :  25)  ; 

hence  it  is  probable  that  he  held  some  high  posi- 
tion, but  what,  or  where,  is  wholly  unkno^\'n. 
The  theory  advanced  by  some  that  the  name, 
which  signifies  "Lover  of  God,"  was  a  fictitious 
one,  and  that  the  Gospel  and  this  book  were  sim- 
ply addressed  to  all  that  loved  God,  i.  e.  to  all 
the  disciples,  is  untenable.  Both  the  treatises 
were  probably  dedicated  somewhat  after  the 
manner  of  a  modern  book  to  Theophilus,  but 
intended  for  a  general  circulation,  which  his 
name,  appended,  might  even  increase. — Began 
both  to  do  and  to  teach.  The  Gospel  records 
only  the  beginning  of  Christ's  teaching,  i.  e.,  the 
ministry  of  his  earthly  life  ;  it  is  the  object  of  the 
Book  of  Acts  to  record  the  continuance  of  his 
teaching,  the  ministry  of  the  ascended  Lord  ever 


present  with  his  church  in  fulfillment  of  the 
promise  of  Matt.  28  ;  20.  Thus  the  Gospel  of 
Luke  and  the  Book  of  Acts  are  parts  of  one 
connected  Life  of  our  Lord — one  his  life  in  the 
body,  the  other  his  life  in  the  church.  See 
Intro.,  pp.  15,  16. 

2,  3.  The  construction  of  the  original  is  a 
little  difficult  and  uncertain.  The  best  interpre- 
tation is  that  given  by  our  English  version — the 
ministry  and  teaching  of  Christ  continuing  after 
his  resurrection  and  until  his  ascension.  The 
commandments  here  referred  to  are  especially 
those  given  in  his  last  conferences  with  the  eleven. 

(Matt.  28  :  19,  20  ;  Mark  16  :  14-18  ;  Luke  24  :  45-49  ;  John  20  :  21-2S  ; 

21  :  15-n).  The  statement  that  they  were  given 
through  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  by  the  power  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  speaking  in  and  through  Jesus 
Christ,  accords  with  Christ's  constant  reference  of 
his  deeds  and  words  to  the  Father,  as  the  Power 
that  dwelt  in  him.  (John  s :  30 ;  14 :  10.) — To  Avhom 
also  he  showed  himself,  etc.  On  the  na- 
ture and  number  of  the  appearances  of  Jesus 
Christ  after  his  resurrection,  and  the  proofs  of 
that  resurrection,  and  the  slowness  of  the  disci- 
ples to  believe,  see  note  on  Resurrection  of  our 
Lord,  Vol.  I,  p.  330.  The  appearances  were  as 
foUoM's :  To  Mary  Magdalene  (John  20 :  ii-is) ;  to  Pe-  • 
ter  (1  Cor.  15 : 5) ;  to  two  disciples  on  the  road  to  Em- 

maUS  (Mark  16  :  12,  13  ;  Luke  24  :  13-35)  ;  tO  ten  diSCiplCS 
(Mark  16  :  14  ;  Luke  24  :  35-49 ;  John  20  :  19-23  ;  1  Cor.  15:5);    tO 

Thomas  with  the  rest  (John  20 :  24-29) ;  to  the  disci- 
ples by  the  sea  (john  21 :  1-24) ;  among  the  moun- 
tains (Matt.  28 :  16, 17 ;  1  Cor.  15 :  s) ;  at  the  last  Commis- 
sion (Matt.  28  :  18,  19  ;  Mark  16  :  15-18)  ;  at  the  aSCeUSion 
(Mark  16:  19;    Lnke  24  :  50-53 ;    Acts  1 :  3-12).      Whether  the 

appearance  described  here  in  vers.  4,  .5,  is  to  be 
identified  with  some  one  of  these  other  appear- 
ances, is  uncertain. 
4,  5.    And   being   assembled    together. 

A  conference  in  Galilee  is  probably  here  described ; 
for  the  indication  is  that  they  were  assembled 
for  the  purpose  of  meeting  Christ,  and  but  one 
such  gathering  is  intimated  by  the  Evangelist 
(Matt  28  :  16).      The  coming  together  of  ver.  6  is 


30 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  L 


6  When  they  therefore  were  come  together,  they 
asked  of  him,  saying,  Lord,  wilt '  thou  at  this  time  re- 
store '  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ? 

7  And  he  said  unto  them.  It''  is  not  for  you  to  know 
the  times  or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in 
his  own  power, 

8  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy 


Ghost  is  come  upon  you :  and  ye '  shall  be  witnesses 
unto  me,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judsea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth. 

9  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they 
beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received  him  out 
of  their  sight. 


i  Matt.  24  :  3,  4 j  laa.  1 


Dan.  7  :  27 k  Matt.  24  :  36  ;  1  Thess.  6  :  1,  2  . 


,  1  Matt.  28  :  19  ;  Luke  24  :  47-49. 


on  a  subsequent  occasion  and  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  perhaps  also  by  appointment.  —  That 
they  should   not  depart  from  Jerusalem. 

That  is,  until  they  had  received  the  promise  of  the 
Father. — Which  ye  have  heard  of  me.    The 

promise  of  the  gift  of  another  Comforter  contained 
in  Christ's  last  coQversation  with  the  eleven  (john 

14  :  16-20,  26  ;  15  :  26,  27  ;  16  :  13,  14).  ThiS  WaS  the  prom- 
ise of  the  Father,  made  in  the  Old  Testament  (isa. 
44 : 3 ;  Ezek.  36 :  27 ;  Joel  2 :  28-32),  recalled  to  the  remem- 
brance of  the  nation  by  John  the  Baptist  (Matt. 
3:  ii),  and  renewed  by  the  Son. 

6.  When  they  therefore  were  come  to- 
gether. Subsequently  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Jerusalem.  This,  which  is  the  view  of  Calvin, 
Olshausen,  and  Hackett,  appears  more  consonant 
with  the  narrative,  than  to  understand  that  Luke 
again  mentions  the  same  coming  together  already 
referred  to  in  ver.  4,  as  do  Meyer  and  Alford. — 
Wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  the 
kingdom  to  Israel?  They  had  not  altogether 
passed  beyond  the  Jewish  idea  of  a  temporal 
king,  a  re-established  theocracy.  The  sufferings, 
death  and  resurrection  which  Christ  had  declared 
must  precede  the  kingdom,  had  already  taken 
place  ;  they  were  anxious  to  know  if  the  kingdom 
promised  to  Israel  was  immediately  to  be  estab- 
lished. At  the  same  time  it  seemed  to  them  a 
thing  incredible  that  it  should  be  restored  at 
that  time,  i.  e.,  to  an  Israel  which  had  proved  its 
unworthiness  by  crucifying  its  Lord. 

7,  8.  It  is  not  for  you  to  know,  etc. 
Compare  Christ's  answer  here  with  Matt.  24  :  36, 
42 ;  and  Mark  13  :  32,  note  ;  and  observe  that  it 
is  fatal  to  all  attempts  to  foretell  the  time  of 
Christ's  second  coming,  or  even  the  definite 
signs  of  that  second  coming.  Bengel's  sugges- 
tion that  the  time  has  since  been  made  known  to 
the  church  through  the  Book  of  Revelation  is 
inconsistent  with  the  structure  of  this  verse, 
which  declares  not  merely  the  temporary  veiling 
of  information  from  the  eyes  of  the  apostles, 
but  the  limit  put  by  the  Providence  of  God  on 
human  knowledge.  But  Christ  does  not  merely 
declare  their  ignorance  of  the  time  of  his  own 
second  coming.  The  times  are  the  succession  of 
ages,  greater  or  less  in  length,  over  which  the 
history  of  the  church  should  extend,  before  the 
end  comes ;  the  seasons  are  the  successive  phases 
of  development,  through  and  by  means  of  which 
it  would  grow  to  its  development.    It  is  not  in 


man  either  to  know  the  length  of  time,  or  to  un- 
derstand beforehand  the  necessary  processes  of 
growth;  it  is  his  simply  to  perform  the  duty 
allotted  to  him,  leaving  the  great  movement  of 
which  he  is  a  part,  and  to  which  he  contributes, 
to  be  unfolded  by  God.  He  cannot  read  the 
book  till  God  has  unrolled  it.  Observe,  too,  the 
march  of  events,  though  above  human  control,  is 
not  above  all  control.  The  Father  hath  it  in  his 
own  power. —  But  ye  shall  receive  power, 
Comp.  Luke  24  :  49 ;  Rom.  15  :  13,  19 ;  1  Cor. 
2  :  4 ;  2  Cor.  12  :  9  ;  PhU.  3  :  10 ;  1  Thess.  1  :  5. 
These  references  will  give  the  student  an  idea  of 
the  meaning  of  Christ's  promise.  It  includes  (1) 
the  power  of  working  miracles ;  (2)  personal, 
moral  and  spiritual  power  in  the  conflicts  and 
temptations  of  Ufe,  and  especially  in  bearing  suf- 
fering and  persecution  for  Christ's  sake ;  (3) 
power  in  the  ministry  of  the  word  beyond  that 
which  belongs  to  human  eloquence  and  wisdom, 
or  even  to  the  mere  natural  adaption  of  the  truth 
to  human  wants. — And  ye  shall  be  witnesses 
unto  me.  See  on  verses  21,  22. — In  Jerusa- 
lem, and  in  all  Judsea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  even  to  the  uttermost  of  the  earth. 
Observe  the  widening  circle.  Compare  Luke 
24  :  47 ;  Matt.  28  :  19,  20 ;  and  contrast  with  the 
earlier  commission  (Matt,  lo :  s).  By  uttermost  both 
time  and  space  are  included ;  to  the  remotest 
corners  of  the  earth,  to  the  remotest  period  of 
time.  Christ's  answer  thus  plainly  implies  that 
he  will  not  immediately  restore  the  kingdom  to 
Israel.  The  then  existing  generation  measurably 
fulfilled  this  command.  The  apostles  began  at 
Jerusalem  (ch.  2 :  46 ;  4 ;  i ;  6 :  42) ;  the  disciples  scat- 
tered abroad  throughout  Palestine  preached  the 
Gospel  wherever  thej'  went  (ch.  8:4;  11 :  19) ;  Philip 
preached  in  Samaria  (ch.  8:5);  Peter  traveled  as 
far  east  as  Babylon  (1  Pet.  6 ;  13) ;  and  Paul  is  be- 
lieved to  have  carried  the  Gospel  as  far  west  as 
Spain.  But  it  was  not  until  Christ  had  inter- 
preted this  command  (chaps.  10, 11  j  22 ;  21)  that  the 
apostles  fully  comprehended  its  nature.  At  first 
they  regarded  themselves  as  sent  only  to  the 
dispersed  Jews  among  the  Gentiles  (ch.  11 : 1-3  j 

16:l). 

9.  A  cloud  received  him  out  of  their 
sight.  Comp.  Matt.  17  :  5  ;  Luke  9  :  34.  The 
cloud  was,  I  believe,  the  Sheehinah  of  the  O.  T., 
the  symbol  of  the  divine  presence  and  glory.  In 
this  cloud  Christ  will  appear  when  he  comes  to 


Ch.  L] 


THE  ACTS. 


31 


10  And  while  they  looked  stedfastly  toward  heaven, 
as  he  went  up,  behold,  two  "■  men  stood  by  them  in 
white  apparel ; 

11  Which  also  said,  Ye  men"  of  Galilee,  why  stand 
ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?    This  same  Jesus,  which  is 


taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  °  so  come  in  like 
manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven. 

12  ThenP  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the 
mount  called  Olivet,  which  is  from  Jerusalem  a  sabbath 
day's  journey. 


m  John  20  :  12  .  . .  .  n  ch.  2  :  7  j  13  :  31 ....  o  John  14  ;  3 ;  1  Thesa.  4  :  16 ....  p  Luke  24  :  62. 


judge  the  world.  (Rev.  l  :  7  ;  14  :  14  j  Comp.  Matt.  24  :  30  j 
26  :  64;  Bee  note  on  Matt.  17  :  6.) 

Of  the  ascension  of  our  Lord  we  have  three 
accounts,  viz.,  Mark  16  :  19  ;  Luke  24  :  50,  51  and 
here.  Matthew  and  John  do  not  mention  it,  j'et 
they  being  of  the  twelve  must  have  witnessed  it, 
while  it  is  not  certain  that  Mark  and  Luke  were 
eye-witnesses.  The  brevity  of  the  description 
and  the  paucity  of  the  subsequent  N.  T.  refer- 
ences to  it  are  noteworthy.  In  support  of  its 
credibility,  however,  are  the  following  consider- 
ations.    (1.)  It  is  intimated  by  the  O.  T.  writers 

(Psalm  24  :  7-10 ;  110  :  1  ;  68  :  18  ;  with  Ephes.  4  •  7,  8  ;  Lev.  16  :  15 
with  Heb.  9  :  7-12)  ;    (2)    and  by  Christ  (john  6  :  62  ;   7  :  33 ; 

20 :  17) ;  (3)  it  is  referred  to  by  the  apostles  as  a 
fact  well  recognized  in  the    Christian  church 

(Ephes.  1  :  20  ;  Heb.  10  :  12  ;  1  Pet.  3  :  22)  ;  (4)  it  iS  an  al- 
most necessary  sequel  of  the  resurrection,  since 
after  the  resurrection  Christ  must  either  have 
ascended  into  heaven,  or  lived  a  hidden  life,  and 
subsequently  died  a  natural  death.  In  respect 
to  the  body  with  which  he  ascended,  it  is  easy  to 
conjecture  and  impossible  to  know  with  assur- 
ance ;  but  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the 
change  which  Paul  declared  will  be  wrought  in 
the  bodies  of  his  saints  at  the  last  day,  before 
their  ascension  (i  cor.  is :  51-54),  was  wrought  in 
Christ's  earthly  body,  which  I  believe  to  have 
been,  prior  to  the  ascension,  unchanged  (Luke 
24 :  39, 40 ;  John  20 :  27).  If  it  be  asked  how,  with  a 
natural  body,  could  he  have  passed  through  a 
closed  door  (John  20 :  19),  Or  Vanished  from  the  dis- 
ciples' sight  (Luke  24 :  3i),  I  reply,  by  the  same 
miraculous  power  by  which,  with  a  natural  body, 
he  walked  on  the  sea  (john  6 :  19). 

10,  11.  Two  men  in  white  apparel. 
Angels  in  the  form  of  men.  Comp.  Luke's  de- 
scription of  the  angels  at  the  sepulchre  with 
Matthew's  (Luke  24 : 4 ;  Matt.  28 . 2, 5).  —  Ye  men  of 
Galilee.  This  address  indicates  that  only  the 
eleven  were  present,  all  of  whom  were  Galileans. 
— Why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ? 
The  Christian  may  often  profitably  address  this 
question  to  himself.  His  business  on  the  earth 
is  not  to  gaze  into  heaven  for  a  glimpse  of  his 
ascended  Lord,  but  to  follow  his  example  by  his 
daily  life  on  the  earth.  He  is  much  more  likely 
to  find  his  Lord,  by  faithful  life  on  earth,  than  by 
intent  gazing  into  heaven.  —  In  like  manner 
as  ye  have  seen  him  go.  Not  merely.  As 
surely  as  he  has  departed,  so  surely  will  he  re- 
turn, but,  In  the  manner  in  which  he  has  departed 


he  will  return.  The  second  coming  of  Christ, 
then,  will  not  be  like  his  first  coming,  obscure, 
and,  as  it  were,  in  concealment.  He  will  come 
in  power  and  glory,  on  the  clouds,  and  with  his 
holy  angels  with  him.  Matt.  24  :  30,  31 ;  26  :  04 ; 
Rev.  6  :  13-17. 
13.    From   the   Mount    called    Olivet. 


OLIVET,    FROM    KUAD    TU    ULXUA-NY. 
Jerusalem  in  the  distance. 

Luke's  Gospel  (24 :  50)  places  the  ascension  at 
Bethany,  which  was  fifteen  stadia  or  nearly  two 
miles  from  Jerusalem.  The  description  is  more 
definite  and  probably  more  accurate  here.  In 
the  Gospel,  "Bethany  "  probably  stands  for  the 
district  or  region  about  the  town  proper ;  and 
Alford  suggests  that  the  exactness  of  deacriptioa 


32 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  I. 


13  And  when  they  were  come  in,  they  went  up  into 
an  upper  room,  wiiere  abode  both  Peter,")  and  James, 
and  John,  and  Andrew,  Philip,  and  Thomas,  Bartholo- 
mew, and  Matthew,  James  the  son  of  Alphaeus,  and 
Simon  Zelotes,  and  Judas  the  brother  of  James. 

14  These  all  continued  with  one  accord  in  prayer 


and  supplication,  'with  the'  women,  and  Mary  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  and  with  his  brethren. 

15  And  in  those  days  Peter  stood  up  in  the  midst 
of  the  disciples,  and  said  (the  number  of  names  to- 
gether were  about  an  hundred  and  twenty), 


q  Luke  6  :  13-16 r  Luke  23  :  49,  65  ;   24  :  10. 


here  was  for  the  purpose  of  correcting  a  misap- 
prehension growing  out  of  the  former  statement 
which  implies  a  breach  of  the  Rabbinical  rule, 
against  Sabbath  traveling.  This  assumes,  how- 
ever, what  is  probable  but  not  certain,  that  the 
ascension  took  place  on  a  Sabbath.  By  a  gloss 
on  Exod.  16  :  29  the  Rabbins  fixed  the  limits  be- 
yond which  the  pious  Jew  might  not  go  on  the 
Sabbath,  at  2000  paces  from  the  walls  of  the  city, 
equivalent  to  about  a  mile.  This  regulation  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  derived  from  the  space  be- 
tween the  arks  and  the  tents,  which  tradition, 
following  Josh.  8  : 4,  fixed  upon  as  2000  cubits.  It 
being  a  Sabbath  duty  to  go  to  the  ark,  this  2000 
cubits  was  adjudged  a  legitimate  Sabbath-day's 
journey.  The  exact  site  of  the  ascension  is 
unknown ;  tradition  has  fixed  on  one,  however, 
which  is  occupied  by  a  Roman  Catholic  church. 

These  first  twelve  verses  of  the  first  chapter 
of  Acts  constitute  an  introduction  to  the  whole 
book.  It  is  not  by  mere  accident  that  Luke  be- 
gins by  describing  the  ascension  of  the  Lord.  By 
so  doing  he  connects  with  the  former  treatise, 
which  describes  what  Jesus  began  to  say  and  to 
do  in  his  earthly  life,  the  present  treatise,  which 
describes  what  Jesus  continued  to  say  and  to  do, 
in  and  through  his  church  after  his  ascension. 
Thus  his  ascension  is  the  proper  introduction  to 
this,  as  the  nativity  is  the  proper  introduction  to 
that  history. 

13.  And  when  they  were  come  in.  That 
is,  into  the  city.  —  They  went  up  into  an 
upper  room.  This  was  a  room  in  the  second 
story,  or  sometimes  on,  or  connected  with,  the 
flat  roof.  It  was  the  practice  of  the  Jews  to 
retire  to  this  upper  room  for  the  purpose  of 
deliberation  or  prayer.  This  may  well  have 
been  the  upper  chamber  where  the  last  supper 
was  taken  ;  and  where,  subsequent  to  his  resur- 
rection, the  Lord  had  twice  met  his  disciples  (John 
20 :  19-26).  Pcrhaps  they  hoped  that  he  would 
return  thither  again.  For  illustration  and  de- 
scription of  upper  chamber  see  Luke  23  :  13. — 
Where  abode  both  Peter,  etc.  Not,  as  our 
English  version  might  seem  to  imply,  the  disci- 
ples, I.  e.,  some  other  disciples,  went  from  the 
ascension  to  this  upper  chamber  where  Peter 
and  the  rest  were  dwelling,  but,  Peter  and  the 
rest  went  from  the  ascension  to  this  upper  cham- 
ber which  was  their  temporary  sojourning  place 
In  Jerusalem.  Peter  had  a  house  at  Capernaum 
(Mark  1 ;  29),  which  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose 


ORIENTAL,   PRAYEK-MEETING. 

his  family  had  left ;  and  it  appears  probable  that 
John  had  a  house  of  his  own  in  Jerusalem  (John 
19 :  27).  There  are  four  lists  of  the  apostles  in  the 
N,  T.,  the  other  three  being  found  in  Matt. 
10  :  2-4  ;  Mark  3  :  16,  and  Luke  6  :  14.  They  are 
substantially  the  same.  For  consideration  of 
differences,  see  Matt.  10  :  3,  note  ;  for  the  lives 
and  characters  of  the  twelve,  see  note  on  The 
Twelve  Apostles,  Vol.  I,  p.  147. 

14.  These  all  continued  w^ith  one  ac- 
cord. The  original  conveys  a  meaning  not  con- 
tained in  our  English  version.  The  word  rendered 
continued  {nQooauQTeQiu))  signifies  to  persevei'e,  to 
be  steadfast  in ;  despite  no  immediate  answer  they 
were  not  discouraged  but  continued  instant  in 
prayer.  For  meaning  see  Acts  6:4;  Rom.  13  :  13 ; 
Col.  4  :  2.  The  word  rendered  'wit7i  one  accord 
(<jfio!>vuaddr)  is  composed  of  two  Greek  words 
signifying  unity  in  fervor  or  zeal.  For  meaning 
see  Acts  7  :  57  ;  13  :  20 ;  18  :  13  ;  19  :  39.  See  also 
Exod.  19  : 8 ;  Jer.  46  :  31.  Their  unity  was  not  their 
intellectual  accord,  but  their  spiritual  earnestness 
of  desire  for  the  divine  blessing.  They  illustrate 
the  condition  of  successful  prayer,  perseverance 
(Luke  18 : 1-s),  accord  (Matt.  18 :  19),  and  carncstness  or 
fervor  (Matt.  7 : 7).— With  the  women.  Prob- 
ably those  who  ministered  to  Jesus  in  Galilee 
(Luke  8 :  s)  and  wcrc  with  him  at  the  cross  (John  19 :  25) 
and  at  the  sepulchre  (Mark  I6 : 1).  The  Greek  has 
been  rendered  tvitJt  the  wives,  i.  e.,  of  the  apostles ; 
it  is  capable  of  that  translation,  but  the  other  and 


Ch.  L] 


THE  ACTS. 


33 


i6  Men  and  brethren,  this  scripture  must  needs  have 
been  fulfilled,  which  *  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  mouth 
of  David  spake  before  concerning  Judas,  which  was 
guide'  to  them  that  took  Jesus. 

17  For  he"  was  numbered  with  us,  and  had  obtained 
pajt  of  this  ministry. 


18  Now'  this  man  purchased  a  field  with  the  re- 
ward "  of  iniquity  ;  and  falUng  headlong,  he  burst 
asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed  out. 

19  And  it  was  known  unto  all  the  dwellers  at  Jeru- 
salem ;  insomuch  as  that  field  is  called  in  their  proper 
tongue,  Aceldama,  that  is  to  say,  The  field  of  blood. 


«  P«.  41  :  9  ;  John  13  :  18 ....  t  Matt.  26  :  47  ;  Jolin  18  :  3 ....  u  Luke  6  :  16  ....  v  Matt.  27  :  &-10 . 


r 


more  common  rendering  is  more  probable. — And 
Mary.  This  is  the  last  mention  of  her  in 
the  New  Testament.  The  later  traditions  are 
quite  untrustworthy.  Observe  that  she  prays 
with  the  disciples,  they  do  not  pray  to  her,  nor 
wait  on  her  intercession  with  her  son. — With 
his  brethren.  It  is  clear  from  the  language 
here  that  these  were  not  among  the  twelve,  for 
they  are  distinctly  discriminated  from  them. 
That  they  were  real  brethren,  and  not  cousins  or 
other  remote  relatives,  seems  to  me  very  clear 
from  a  comparison  of  the  New  Testament  teach- 
ing respecting  them.  See  note  on  Brethren  of 
Our  Lord,  Vol.  I,  p.  187.  They  were  not  believers 
in  Christ  in  his  earlier  ministry  (john  7 : 5),  and 
John  19  :  25,  26  indicates  that  they  were  not  so  at 
the  time  of  his  crucifixion.  That  the  crucifixion 
and  subsequent  resurrection  were  the  means  of 
their  conversion  is  a  reasonable  hypothesis.  It 
can  hardly  be  doubted  that  they  were  believers 
at  this  time. 

Ch.  I  :  15-26.    CHOICE  OF  A  SUCCESSOR  TO  JUDAS  IS- 

(L\R10T.      The  REWAED  OF  INIQiriTT.— The  NATURE   OF 

THE  apostles'  office.— The  work  of  man  and  the 
WORK  OF  God  in  the  ordering  of  the  Christian 
CHURCH. — The  value  and  the  llmitation  op  the 
apostles'  example. 

15.  In  those  days.  The  days  between  the 
ascension  of  Christ  and  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  while  the  disciples  were  thus  engaged  in 
prayer  for  the  promised  gift.  This  covered  a 
period  of  ten  days  (ver.  a,  with  2 :  1,  note). — About  a 
hundred  and  twenty.  There  were  at  least 
five  hundred  believers  in  all  (1  cor.  15 :  e),  but  of 
them  only  the  hundred  and  twenty  had  gathered 
in  Jerusalem.  The  meeting  seems  to  have  begun 
with  the  eleven,  the  women,  and  the  brethren  of 
Jesus,  and  to  have  increased  in  size  by  the  com- 
ing in  of  other  disciples.  Alexander  thinks  that 
the  reference  to  names  indicates  a  registration, 
and  that  presupposes  some  kind  of  organization. 
It  is  very  probable  that  this  was  a  secret  meeting, 
and  that  for  fear  of  the  Jews  (John  20 :  19)  precau- 
tions were  taken  to  exclude  any  whose  names 
were  not  known.  More  than  this,  it  seems  to  me, 
the  account  does  not  imply. 

16,  17.  Men  and  brethren.  This  is  an  ad- 
dress of  an  equal  to  equals,  not  of  a  vicar  of 
Christ  to  his  ecclesiastical  subordinates. — This 
scripture  must  needs  have  been  fulfilled. 
The  Scripture  prophecy  of  Judas's  treachery. 


See  Psalm  55  ;  12-14  and  ref.  below.  It  was  a 
part  of  the  divine  purpose  that  Christ  should  be 
betrayed  by  one  of  his  disciples ;  but  this  neces- 
sary fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  did  not  lessen  the 
betrayer's  guilt  (Matt.  26 :  24 ;  Acts  2 :  23). — Which 
was  guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus.    Matt. 

26  :  47-50. — Numbered  with  us,  etc.  Judas 
was  among  the  twelve  who  were  chosen  and  or- 
dained as  apostles,  at  the  time  of  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  (Luke  6 :  13-16),  and  subsequently  com- 
missioned to  preach  the  Gospel  and  endowed 
with  miraculous  powers  (Matt,  lo :  1-4) ;  and  he  was 
made  or  made  himself  the  treasurer  of  the  band 
(John  12 : 6  J  13 :  29).  Observc,  that  in  Peter's  char- 
acterization, no  epithets  are  employed — even 
Judas  is  left  to  be  judged  by  his  own  master. 

18,  19.  Now  this  man  procured  for  him* 
self.  Not,  necessarily,  personally  purchased.  For 
meaning  of  the  original  verb  (xrtioiiai)  comp.  Matt. 
10  :  9,  where  it  is  rendered  preside;  Luke  18  :  12, 
possess  ;  Acts  22 :  28,  obtained.  Peter's  language  is 
that  of  irony.  He  represents  Judas  Iscariot  as 
procuring  for  himself  the  field  which  the  priests 
purchased  with  the  blood-money  for  a  burial- 
ground,  and  in  which  the  traitor  met  with  his  hor- 
rible and  mysterious  death.  Peter  is  not  an  his- 
torian, but  an  orator,  and  refers,  oratorically,  to 
facts  well  known  to  his  auditors.  This  considera- 
tion sufficiently  explains  the  difference  between 
his  language  and  the  more  prosaic  and  literal  ac- 
count of   Matthew. — Burst    asunder.      Matt. 

27  :  3-10  represents  Judas  as  committing  suicide. 
The  two  accounts  are  not  necessarily  inconsis- 
tent, though  the  reconciliations  proffered  are  only 
hypothetical.  The  most  probable  one  is  that  he 
hung  himself  upon  a  tree  overhanging  the  valley, 
that  the  rope  broke,  and  that  he  fell  and  was 
dashed  upon  the  rocks  below.  For  a  considera- 
tion of  the  enigmatical  character  and  mysterious 
death  of  Judas,  see  notes  on  Matthew,  Vol.  I, 
pp.  306,  307. — Aceldama.  The  site  is  unknown ; 
the  traditional  site  is  just  outside  the  walls  of  Je- 
rusalem to  the  south  of  Moimt  Zion.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  word  Aceldama,  which  is  Aramaic,  is 
field  of  blood.  The  title  was  given  because  it  was 
purchased  with  blood-money.  It  was  originally 
a  potter's  field,  i.  e.,  a  field  of  clay,  which  had 
been  used  for  some  well  known  pottery  (M»tt. 

27  :  7,  8). 

20.  For  it  is  written.  The  references  are 
to  Psalms  69  :  25  and  109  :  8.  Both  of  these 
psalms  appear  from  the  titles  to  have  been  writ- 


34 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  L 


20  For  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  Let »  his 
habitation  be  desolate,  and  let  no  man  dwell  therein : 
and,y  his  bishopric  let  another  take. 

21  Wherefore  of  these  men  ^  which  have  companied 
with  us  all  the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  went  in  and 
out  among  us, 


22  Beginning  from  the  baptism  of  John,  unto  that 
same  day  that  he  was  taken  up  from  us,  must  one  be 
ordained  to  be  a  witness  with  us  of  his  resurrection. 

23  And  they  appointed  two,  Joseph  called  Barsa- 
bas,»  who  was  surnamed  Justus,  and  Matthias. 


25 y  Ps.  109  :  8  . . . .  z  Luke  10  :  1,  2  ;  John  16  :  27  . . . .  a  ch.  15  :  ! 


ten  by  David,  and  to  be  applied  by  himself  to 
himself.  They  appear  to  me  to  apply  to  Christ, 
not  (a)  because  they  were  uttered  by  David  pro- 


THE   TKADITIONAIj  ACELDAMA. 

phetically,  for  there  is  nothing  in  their  structure 
or  tone  to  warrant  that  conclusion,  and  Psalm 
69  :  5  is  certainly  not  prophetically  applicable  to 
Christ ;  (6)  nor  by  a  mere  accommodation  of  lan- 
guage, never  intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  apply 
to  Christ,  but  seized  on  and  applied  to  him  by 
Peter,  a  theory  which  seems  to  me  to  do  violence 
to  Scripture,  and  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  in- 
spiration if  not  with  the  honesty  of  Peter ;  but 
(c)  because  David  was  himself  a  prophecy  of  the 
Messiah,  and  thus  in  these  psalms,  as  in  many 
others  (e.  g.,  psaims  16,  22,  66,  etc.),  While   he  truly 


and  literally  described  his  own  experiences  of 
suffering  and  strength,  he  unconsciously  prophe- 
sies both  the  suffering  and  the  triumph  of  the 
Messiah.  See  Matt.  2  :  15,  note. — His  bishop- 
ric. The  original  signifies  literally  an  office  of 
overseer  {iniaxort>'f).  Nothing  can  be  deduced 
from  it  respecting  the  question  whether  in  the 
early  church  the  government  was  administered 
by  or  through  bishops.  There  is  certainly  no 
evidence  that  the  apostles  were  such  bishops. 

21,  22.  Of  these  men  which  have  coin> 
panied  with  us.  An  intimation  that  Christ 
had  been  attended  throughout  his  ministry,  more 
or  less  continuously,  by  other  disciples  as  well  as 
the  twelve. — Beginning  from  the  baptism 
of  John.  Not  from  the  baptism  of  Jesus  by 
John,  for  the  disciples  did  not  join  him  at  that 
time,  but  from  the  termination  of  John's  baptiz- 
ing by  his  imprisonment,  at  which  time  the  pub- 
lic ministry  of  Christ  began  (Matt.  4  :  12). — Must 
one  be  ordained.  The  term  is  not  used  in  an 
ecclesiastical  sense ;  the  original  is  simply,  "There 
must  be  one  to  be  a  witness,"  etc. — To  be  a 
witness  with  us  of  his  resurrection.  This 
grand  fact,  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
the  dead,  was  the  burden  of  the  earlier  apostolic 

ministry   (chap.    2  :  29-33  :   3  -.  U;   13  :  30-37  ;    17,:  3l),    and 

on  this  fact,  witnessed  to  by  the  apostles  from 
their  personal  knowledge,  the  truth  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  was  based.  Observe,  then,  that  the 
apostles  were  chosen  as  personal  tvitnesses  of 
Christ's  life,  ministry,  death  and  resurrection  (comp. 
John  15 :  27),  that  whcu  Judas  died,  one  was  select- 
ed able  to  bear  this  personal  testimony  from  personal 
knowledge,  that  Paul  claimed  to  be  an  apostle  be- 
cause he  had  seen  the  risen  Lord  (i  cor.  9 :  i ;  is  :  s), 
and  that  thus  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case  the 
apostles  could  have  no  successors  after  the  then  gen- 
eration had  passed  aivay. 

23.  And  they  appointed  two.  Peter  did 
not  make  the  appointment  as  primate,  nor  the 
eleven  as  ecclesiastical  superiors.  "They  ap- 
pointed, viz.,  the  whole  company  to  whom  the  words 
had  been  spoken;  not  the  eleven  apostles." — (Al- 
/or(7.)— Joseph  called  Barsabas,  i.  e.,  Son 
of  Sabba  or  Saba. — Surnamed  Justus.  A 
Roman  cognomen.— Matthias.  The  name  is  a 
common  Hebrew  name  meaning  Gift  of  Jehovah, 
and  differing  slightly  in  form,  as  Matthew,  Mat- 
thias, Mattatha  and  Mattathias.  Nothing  more 
is  known  with  certainty  respecting  these  two, 
than  the  fact  here  implied,  that  they  had  been 


Ch.  I.] 


THE  ACTS. 


35 


24  And  they  prayed,  and  said,  Thou,  Lord,  which  •> 
knowest  the  hearts  of  all  metty  shew  whether  of  these 
two  thou  hast  chosen, 

25  That  he  may  take  part  of  this  ministry  and  apos- 


tleship,  from  which  Judas  by  transgression  fell,  that  ha 
might  go  to  his  own  place. 

26  And  they  gave  forth  their  lots ;  and  the  lot  fell 
upon  Matthias ;  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  eleven 
apostles. 


b  Jer.  17  :  10  ;  Rev.  2 :  23. 


companions  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  eleven 
throughout  Christ's  life,  and  were  witnesses  of 
his  resurrection.  Botn  are  supposea  by  Eusebius 
to  have  been  among  the  seventy  ordained  by 
Christ  in  Perea  (Luke  lo :  i),  and  this  is  inherently 
probable.  Joseph  Barsabas  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  Joses  Barnabas  (chap.  4  :  se),  or  Ju- 
das Barsebas  (chap.  15 :  22).  There  is  nothing  in 
the  fact  that  Joseph  is  mentioned  first  and  de- 
scribed more  fully,  to  warrant  the  deduction 
which  has  been  made  that  he  was  the  first  choice 
of  the  meeting.  We  are  neither  told  how,  nor 
why,  the  two  were  chosen  from  whom  the  one 
should  be  selected.  It  is  probable,  however, 
that  they  were  designated  by  a  vote,  that  being 
a  common  method  among  the  Jews,  and  the  con- 
jecture of  Alexander  is  reasonable  that  they  were 
the  only  two  who  had  been  witnesses  and  com- 
panions of  Christ  throughout  his  ministry,  and 
the  only  two,  therefore,  who  fulfilled  the  neces- 
sary conditions. 

24,  25.  Thou,  Lord,  who  knowest  the 
hearts  of  all.  Some  question  has  been  made 
whether  this  prayer  was  made  to  Christ  or  to  the 
Father,  but  the  prayer  itself  does  not  determine. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  language  Lord  might  be  ad- 
dressed to  the  Father  (chap.  4 :  29) ;  on  the  other, 
the  language  who  knowest  the  hearts  of  all  might 
well  be  addressed,  especially  by  Peter,  to  Christ 
(John  21 :  17).  It  is  noteworthy,  however,  that  the 
meeting  decided  for  itself  respecting  the  external 
qualifications  of  the  two  possible  successors  to 
Judas,  for  these  they  could  personally  know ; 
but  referred  the  final  choice  to  the  Lord,  who 
could  alone  know  the  heart.  The  external 
knowledge  and  education  was  not,  therefore,  the 
only  qualification  which  they  recognized. — De- 
clare Avhoni  thou  hast  chosen.  The  word 
rendered  "shew"  in  our  EngUsh  version,  is  one 
employed  in  the  Greek  to  designate  the  offlcial 
and  public  announcement  of  the  result  of  an  elec- 
tion. The  prayer  assumes  that  the  Lord  has 
chosen,  and  will  by  the  lot  make  known  his  choice. 
— That  he  may  take  a  place  in  this  minis- 
try and  apostleship.  The  best  MSS.  have 
here  place,  not  part.  So  Alford  and  Tischendorf. 
Thus  the  contrast  is  noted  between  the  place 
from  which  Judas  fell  and  that  to  which  he  has 
gone.— From  which  Judas  by  transgres- 
sion fell.  Literally,  transgressed,  stepped  aside 
{TtuQajialiu)). — That  he  might  go  to  his  own 
place.    Not  "go  to  the  field  of  blood,"  which 


he  had  purchased,  though  he  did  go  to  it  as  his 
burial-place  by  his  suicide  ;  nor  "go  home,"  for 
though  Numb.  24  :  25  gives  some  color  to  tnis  in- 
terpretation, it  is  a  weak  and  meaningless  ending 
of  the  sentence,  making  the  clause  read,  "From 
which  Judas  by  transgression  fell  that  he  might 
go  home  "  ;  nor  "go  to  the  place  of  the  dead," 
for  that  was  not  his  place  more  than  the  place  of 
all  humanity.  The  natural  and  obvious  meaning 
is  the  correct  one.  He  fell  from  his  temporary 
place  as  an  apostle,  to  go  to  his  own  place  among 
the  lost  spirits,  the  place  to  which  his  evil  nature 
drew  him.  And  observe  that  heaven  and  hell  are 
respectively  to  the  Christian  and  the  unrepent- 
ant their  own  places  (Rev.  22 :  11).  The  curious 
student  will  find  different  interpretations  in  Dr. 
Adam  Clarke's  Commentary.  It  was  a  Rabbinical 
proverb,  "  '  Whosoever  betrays  an  Israelite  into 
the  hands  of  the  Gentiles  hath  no  part  in  the 
world  to  come.'  If  so,  then  where  must  he  have 
his  place  who  betrayed  the  very  Messiah  of  Is- 
rael ? " — (Lightfoot.) 

26.  They  gave  forth  their  lots.  The  cast- 
ing of  the  lots  was  regarded  among  the  heathen 
(see  my  Jielig.  Diet.,  art.  Lot)  and  among  the  Jews 
(prov.  16 :  33)  as  a  direct  appeal  to  the  Deity.  It 
was  employed  in  selecting  men  for  an  invading 
force  (judges  20 :  s),  iu  partitioning  the  land  among 
the  tribes  (Numb.  26 :  55 ;  Josh.  18 :  lo),  in  determining 
the  location  of  families  on  the  return  from  cap- 
tivity (Neh.  11 ;  i),  in  allotting  the  spoils  of  war  (joei 

3:3;  Nah.  3  :  lo),  in  the  detection  of  crime  ( Josh.  7  :  14, 

18 ;  1  Sam.  14 :  4i),  in  designating  officers  appointed 
by  God,  whose  choice  was  indicated  by  the  lot 

(l  Sam.  10  :  20,  21  ;    1  Chron.  24  :  31  ;  25  :  8  j   Lute  1  :  9).      The 

practice  was  continued  according  to  Bingham's 
Antiquities,  as  late  as  the  seventh  century, 
though  applied  only  in  exceptional  cases,  and 
there  is  no  other  instance  of  the  employment  of 
the  lot  in  the  Acts.  The  particular  method  em- 
ployed here  is  uncertain.  Probably  the  names 
were  written  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  put  in  an 
urn,  and  the  first  drawn  was  chosen.  Chrysostom 
supposes  that  the  lot  was  resorted  to  here,  be- 
cause, as  yet,  the  apostles  had  not  received  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  their  direct  guide  in 
such  matters. — He  was  numbered  with  the 
eleven.  That  is,  he  was  counted  in  with  them 
to  make  up  the  twelve. 

In  respect  to  this  action  of  the  early  church,  It 
is  observable,  (a)  That  in  this,  the  first  eccle- 
siastical action  of  the  Church,  Peter  appealed  to 


36 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  II. 


CHAPTER    II. 

AND  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  "=  was  fully  come, 
they  "I  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place. 
2  And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven,  as 


of  a  rushing  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled*  all  the  house 
where  they  were  sitting. 

3  And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues, 
like  as  of  tire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them : 


c  Lev.  S3  :  15 ....  d  cbap.  1  :  14 ....  e  chap.  4  :  31. 


the  entire  body  of  disciples,  women  as  well  as 
men,  and  that,  apparently,  all  participated  in 
it,  either  directly  or  indirectly ;  (b)  that  the 
method  pursued  in  filling  up  the  vacancy,  occa- 
sioned by  the  death  of  Judas,  certainly  gives  no 
sanction  to  the  theory  that  either  Peter,  or  the 
eleven,  considered  themselves  vested  with  espe- 
cial authority  as  legislators  or  rulers  in  the 
church ;  (c)  that,  if  the  example  of  the  apostles 
were  a  rule  for  the  church  universal,  the  lot 
should  be  employed  in  the  selection  of  its  offi- 
cers, but,  by  almost  universal  consent,  this  apos- 
tolic method  is  not  now  employed,  and  there  is 
no  evidence  that  it  was  ever  again  employed  in 
the  apostolic  church  ;  {d)  the  inference  is,  that 
while  the  apostolic  principles  of  action  are  an 
authority,  their  methods  were  determined  by  their 
peculiar  exigencies,  and  were  adapted  to  their 
special  needs,  and  are  therefore  no  authority  for 
the  modem  church. 


Ch.  2  : 1-13.  THE  GIFT  OP  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  The 
GIFT :  THE  PROMISE  OF  THE  Fathbb  (chap.  1  :  4). — 
On  whom  bestowed  :  all  were  filled  with  the 
Holt  Ghost  (ver.  4). — The  condition  op  receiv- 
rNG :  patient  waiting,  earnest  hoping,  united 
PRATING  (chap.  1 :  4, 14 ;  2  : 1). — The  attendant  sym- 
bols :  WIND  FROM  heaven  (John  .3  :  8),  tongues  of 
fire   (Isaiah  6  :  6,  7 ;   Matt.  3  :  11),   the   universal 

LANGUAGE     OF    HEAVEN     (ReV.    5  :   9).— ThE     RESULT: 

POWER  TO  WITNESS  FOR  CHRIST  (chap.  1:8;  2  :  41^ 
See  note  on  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ver.  41. 

A.  D.  30,  May  28,  Lord's  Day.  The  writer 
gives  an  account  of  the  manifest  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  early  church,  with 
the  audible  and  visible  signs  which  accompany 
it  (i-is),  and  reports  Peter's  sermon  to  the  people 
(i4-^6),  and  its  results  upon  the  people  (37-41),  and 
in  the  church  (42-47). 

1.  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  Avas 
fully  come.  This  was  one  of  the  three  great 
Jewish  national  festivals  when  all  the  males 
were  required  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  (Dent.  16 :  le). 
It  was  called  Pentecost  (a  word  meaning ^Cie/A) 
because  it  was  the  fiftieth  day  from  the  six- 
teenth day  of  Nisan,  the  second  day  of  the  Pass- 
over ;  it  was  also  called  the  feast  of  weeks  (oeut. 
K. :  10),  because  seven  weeks  from  the  Passover ; 
the  feast  of  harvest  (Exod.  23 :  le),  because  it  was  a 
feast  of  thanksgiving  for  the  harvest  (oeut.  26  -.  5-10), 
and  the  feast  of  first  fruits  (Numb.  28 :  26),  because  on 
this  day  the  Jews  offered  to  God  the  first-fruits 
of  the  wheat  harvest,  in  bread  made  of  the  new 


grain  (Lev.  23 :  15-21).  The  feast  was  also  regarded 
as  commemorating  the  giving  of  the  law,  which 
was  delivered  from  Mount  Sinai  on  the  fiftieth 
day  after  the  departure  from  Egypt,  i.  e.,  after 
the  institution  of  the  Passover.  If,  as  I  believe 
to  have  been  the  case,  the  16th  of  Nisan  came, 
in  the  year  of  Christ's  crucifixion,  on  Saturday, 
the  Jewish  sabbath,  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  bestowed,  would 
have  occurred  on  a  Sunday.  Among  the  mod- 
ern Jews  the  feast  of  Pentecost  includes  two 
days,  and  is  celebrated  with  the  same  strictness 
as  the  Passover.  The  Christian  counterpart  of 
this  festival  is  Whit-Sunday,  or  White  Sunday, 
so  called,  probably,  from  the  white  garments 
worn  in  the  ancient  church  by  those  who  were 
baptized  on  this  day,  which  was  one  of  the  spe- 
cial seasons  of  baptism.— They  were  all  with 
united  zeal.  See  chap.  1  :  14,  note. — In  one 
place.  From  Luke  24  :  53  some  commentators 
have  supposed  that  this  place  was  the  temple. 
But  that  the  disciples  could  have  secured  from 
the  authorities  a  room  in  the  temple  is  highly 
improbable,  and  that  they  met  from  day  to  day 
in  a  private  house  is  indicated  by  chap.  1  :  13, 
and  ver.  2  here. 

2,  3.  And  suddenly.  Without  any  previous 
indication,  and  unexpectedly  to  the  disciples. 
They  were  expecting  the  fulfillment  of  Christ's 
promise  (chap.  1 : 4,  s),  but  in  what  manner  it  would 
l)e  fulfilled  they  did  not  know. — A  sound  from 
heaven  as  of  a  rushing,  mighty  wind.  The 
wind  is  both  in  the  O.  T.  and  in  the  N.  T.  a  symbol 

of  the  Spirit  of  God  (Sol.  Song  4  :  I6  ;  Ezek.  37  :  9  J  John  3:8; 

20 ;  22).  The  very  word  inspiration,  meaning  in- 
breathing, embodies  an  analogous  metaphor. — 
It  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were 
sitting.  I  see  no  adequate  reason  for  the  state- 
ment of  Neander  that  "an  earthquake,  attended 
by  a  whirlwind,  suddenly  shook  the  building  in 
which  they  were  assembled,"  nor  for  the  suppo- 
sition of  Alford,  Hackett,  and  others,  based  on 
ver.  6,  that  the  wind  was  heard  throughout  Je- 
rusalem. It  is  not  said  that  there  was  any  wind, 
but  a  sound  as  of  a  wind.  To  suppose  that  there 
was  literally  a  whirlwind,  and  that  it  blew  over 
the  whole  city,  seems  to  me  to  reduce  the  phe- 
nomenon from  a  special  supernatural  accompa- 
niment of  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  a 
natural  event,  having  no  necessary  connection 
with  the  new  disclosure  of  the  Spirit  of  God. — 
And  there  appeared  ante  them.    That  is, 


Cn.  II.] 


THE  ACTS. 


37 


4  And  they  were  all  filled '  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
began  i?  to  speak  with  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave 
them  \itterance. 

5  And  there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem,  Jews,  de- 
vout men,  out  ot  every  nation  under  heaven. 


6  Now  when  this  was  noised  abroad,  the  multi- 
tude came  together,  and  were  confounded,  be- 
cause that  every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his  own 
language. 


f  ch.  1  :  5 .  . . .  g  ch.  10  :  46  ;  Mark  16  :  17. 


to  the  entire  assembly. — Tongues  as  of  fire. 

Observe,  not  tongues  of  fire,  but  tongues  of  a 
fiery,  burning  appearance,  though  without  real 
heat. — Distributed  (among  them)  and  one 
sat  upon  eacli  of  them.  There  is  some  un- 
certainty as  to  the  proper  translation  of  the  ori- 
ginal, but  this  appears  to  accord  better  with  the 
grammatical  construction  of  the  Greek  than 
does  the  meaning  embodied  in  our  English  ver- 
sion. This  rendering  is  defended  by  Bengel, 
Olshausen,  De  Wette,  Baumgarten,  Hackett, 
Robinson,  and  Meyer ;  the  older  view  is  adopted 
by  Alford.  As  rendered  above,  the  meaning  is 
that  a  fiery  appearance  suddenly  presented  itself, 
and  then  divided,  so  that  a  part  rested  on  each 
one  in  the  assembly.  Observe  that  it  visited  not 
merely  the  twelve ;  there  appears  to  have  been 
no  discrimination  between  the  apostles  and  the 
others,  nor  between  the  men  and  the  women. 
Dr.  Hackett  says  that  it  was  a  common  belief, 
both  among  the  Jews  and  the  heathen,  that  an 
appearance  like  fire  often  encircled  the  heads  of 
distinguished  teachers  of  the  law,  and  he  sup- 
poses that  God  chose  this  symbol  accordingly, 
much  as  he  directed  the  magi  to  Christ  by  a 
star.  Apart  from  this,  the  tongue  of  fire  was  a 
symbol  of  prophetic  power,  which,  accompanied 
and  interpreted  as  it  was  by  the  gift  of  tongues, 
could  hardly  be  misunderstood.  It  indicated, 
not  only  the  fulfillment  of  Christ's  promise,  but 
also  the  nature  of  the  duty  which  that  fulfill- 
ment laid  on  the  disciples:  "Ye  shall  receive 
power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon 
you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  tintome  "  (chap,  i :  s). 
4.  And  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost.  I  see  no  warrant  in  Scripture  for 
the  very  common  impression  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  now  first  given  to  the  church.  The  same 
language  here  employed  is  used  respecting  Eliz- 
abeth (Luiiei:4i),  Zacharias  (Luke  i:  67),  and  John 
the  Baptist  (Luke  1 :  15) ;  and  the  O.  T.  repeatedly 
makes  mention  of  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  upon  the  minds  of  the  prophets  and  others 

(Numb.  11  :  25,  26  ;  24  :  2,  3  ;  1  Sam.  10  :  10  ;  19  :  20  ;  2  Sam.  23  :  2  ; 
2  Chron.  20  :  14  ;  Neh.  9  :  30  ;  Isaiah  48  :  16  ;  Ezek.  2:2;  3  :  24  ; 
11:6;  Zech.  7:12;  Matt.  22  :  43).  That  Which  WaS  pe- 
culiar in  this  event  is  that  (1)  now  for  the  first 
time  all  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  not 
merely  the  apostles,  but  the  entire  Christian 
assembly ;  and  (2)  the  influence  was  not  occa- 
sional and  transient,  but  abiding;  the  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  before  exerted  on  man,  he 
was  now  given  to  man  as  Ms  divine  inheritance. 


That  which  distinguishes  the  N.  T.  from  the 
O.  T.  dispensation  is  that  under  the  O.  T.  dis- 
pensation the  Holy  Spirit  guided  a  few  prophets, 
who  thus  became  the  inspired  leaders  of  the 
people,  while  under  the  N.  T.  dispensation  he  is 
given  to  all ;  thus  the  wish  of  Moses  is  fulfilled 
(Numb.  11 :  29),  the  Lord  puts  his  Spirit  upon  aU 

his  people  (AcU  4  :  31  ;  10  :  44  ;  Rom.  8  :  14  ;  1  Cor.  3  :  16  ; 
12 :  7-11  ;  Gal.  5  :  16,  18  ;  Epbes.  3  :  16-19). 

And  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues. 

The  phenomenon  here  described  is  mysterious  ; 
neither  its  nature  nor  its  object  is  well  under- 
stood. It  is  wholly  unknown  in  modem  times ; 
for  though  there  was  something  externally  anal- 
ogous to  it  in  the  so-called  gift  of  tongues  among 
the  Irvingites,  1831-1833,  how  far  that  was  a  mere 
nervous  affection  is  uncertain.  The  principal  Scrip- 
ture passages  bearing  on  this  subject  are  the  fol- 
lowmg :  Mark  lU  :  17  ;  Acts  10 :  46 ;  19 : 6 ;  1  Cor.  12  : 
10,  28  ;  13  : 1 ;  li  :  1-19.  For  a  consideration  of  the 
nature  and  object  of  the  gift  of  tongues,  as  indicat- 
ed by  Paul,  see  notes  on  latter  passage.  Without 
entering  here  into  the  discussion  respecting  the 
subject,  it  must  suflBce  to  say  that  the  following 
facts  are  clear  :  (1. )  The  original  word  rendered 
tongues  (y/.tooaa)  signifies  a  dialect  rather  than  a 
language,  and  this  interpretation  is  confirmed  by 
the  narrative  which  follows.  What  the  disciples 
spoke  were  probably  various  dialects  of  the  Greek 
language.  The  difference  was  analogous  to,  but 
much  greater,  than  those  which  now  exist  in 
France  and  Germany.  (2.)  These  dialects  were 
not  known  to  the  speakers  by  any  natural  pro- 
cess of  education ;  a  miraculous  gift  of  speech 
is  described.  (3.)  These  "other  tongues"  were 
not  mere  rhapsodical  utterances,  because  the 
various  pilgrims  testify  that  they  hear  and  un- 
derstand the  various  dialects  spoken;  nor  a 
mere  surprising  recall  of  language  which  the 
disciples  had  previously  heard  and  partially 
known,  because  it  is  distinctly  said  that  they 
spake  as  the  Spirit  gave  thetn  utterance.  (4.)  It 
is  not  clear  that  the  speakers  themselves  un- 
derstood what  they  were  saying;  it  is  entirely 
consistent  with  the  account  to  suppose  that  they 
were  moved  to  the  utterance  of  sounds  dictated 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  they  did  not  themselves 
comprehend,  and  this  opinion  receives  some  ap- 
parent confirmation  from  the  language  of  Paul  in 
1  Cor.  14  :  14, 19.  (5.)  There  is  no  authority  what- 
ever for  the  opinion  that  this  gift  of  tongues  was 
bestowed  to  enable  the  primitive  Christians  to 
preach  the  Gospel  in  the  various  languages  of 


38 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  II. 


7  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  marvelled,  saying 
.one  to  another,  Behold,  are  not  all  these  which  speak 
Galilseans  ?  i" 


8  And  how  hear  we  every  man  in  our  own  tongue, 
wherein  we  were  born  ? 


the  world,  without  learning  them.  Greek  was 
then  spoken  throughout  the  civilized  world,  so 
that  such  a  gift  for  such  a  purpose  was  little 
needed.      The  implication  of  Acts  10  :  46  (comp. 

1  Cor.  14  :  14-16)  is  that  tliis  gift  was  used,  not  in 
teaching,  but  in  giving  thanks  to  God  ;  it  is  clear 
from  1  Cor.,  ch.  14,  that  the  tongues  were  not 
comprehended  in  the  Christian  assemblies  unless 
interpreted ;  in  the  case  here  recorded,  the  only 
sermon  or  address,  apparently,  was  delivered  by 
Peter,  and  in  the  Greek  language  ;  and  in  no  in- 
stance in  the  N.  T.  is  the  gift  of  tongues  ever  re- 
corded to  have  been  used  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  to  those  ignorant  of  that 
language.  (6.)  It  is  not  an  unreasonable  hypo- 
thesis that  the  gift  was  bestowed  as  a  symbol  of 
the  universality  of  the  Gospel  and  its  adaptation 
to  all  people,  and  of  the  time  when  those  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation, 
would  unite  in  praising  God  in  the  church  of  the 
flrst-born  above  (Rev.  6:9).  Various  rationalistic 
explanations  have  been  attempted  of  this  phe- 
nomenon, such  as  that  the  multitude  heard  in  va- 
rious languages  what  the  believers  spoke  in  their 
native  tongue,  that  the  believers  spoke  in  an  in- 
articulate and  rhapsodical  language,  that  they 
were  themselves  of  different  nationalities  and 
spoke  each  in  his  native  dialect,  that  Luke's  lan- 
guage is  exaggerated — rhetorical  rather  than 
historical — or  that  he  has  misapprehended  and 
80  misreported  the  facts.  All  of  these,  and  other 
kindred  interpretations,  are  plainly  inconsistent 
with  the  historical  authenticity  of  the  narrative, 
and  do  not  need  to  be  considered  by  those  who 
believe  that  the  history  is  trustworthy,  and  who 
seek  to  interpret  the  record,  not  to  substitute 
something  else  which  they  imagine  more  probable. 

5.  And  there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusa- 
lem. Both  permanent  residents  and  pilgrims 
who  had  come  up  to  the  feast  are  probably  in- 
cluded. See  on  ver.  10. — Devout  men.  Liter- 
ally, circumspect,  i.  e.,  toward  God.  The  original 
(ivkaritlc)  occurs  Only  here,  in  ch.  8 : 3,  and  in  Luke 

2  :  25.  The  latter  passage  illustrates  its  mean- 
ing. They  were  probably  those  who,  like  Sim- 
eon, were  sincerely  devout  and  God-fearing  men, 
and  waiting  for  the  appearing  of  the  promised 
Messiah.  The  fact  that  Peter's  sermon  was  fol- 
lowed by  so  many  conversions  indicate  that  a 
large  proportion  of  his  auditors  was  composed, 
not  of  resolute  foes  to  the  truth,  but  of  sincere 
inquirers  after  the  truth, — Out  of  every  na- 
tion under  heaven.  The  dispersion  of  the 
Jews,  since  so  efCectually  accomplished,  had  al- 


ready begun  to  take  place.  These  devout  men 
included  both  dispersed  Jews,  who  had  returned 
either  temporarily  or  permanently  to  Jerusalem, 
and  proselytes  of  different  nationalities,  who 
had  accepted  the  Jewish  Scriptures  and  the  wor- 
ship of  the  one  true  God  (ver.  lo).  The  language 
is  not  to  be  accepted  literally,  yet  most  of  the 
surrounding  nations  appear  to  have  been  repre- 
sented. 

6.  Now  when  this  sonnd  was  made. 
There  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  meaning  of 
the  original,  the  literal  translation  of  which  is  as 
above.  Three  interpretations  are  possible:  (1) 
When  the  sound  referred  to  in  ver.  2,  as  of  a 
rushing,  mighty  wind,  occurred ;  (2)  when  the 
speech  in  other  tongues  (ver.  4)  occurred  ;  (3)  when 
the  rumor  of  the  whole  complex  phenomenon, 
the  sound  as  of  wind,  the  tongues  as  of  fire,  the 
speaking  in  other  tongues,  was  noised  abroad. 
The  first  agrees  best  with  the  original  Greek; 
the  last  better  accords  with  the  context.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  suppose,  however,  that  there 
was  a  wind  heard  and  felt  throughout  Jerusa- 
lem. There  would  have  been  nothing  in  such  a 
whirlwind  to  call  particular  attention  to  the 
house  where  the  disciples  were  assembled.  It 
may  well  be  that  some  of  the  Christians  hastened 
out  to  tell  others  who  were  not  present,  that  the 
promise  of  Christ  was  being  fulfilled  in  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  and  that  so  the  rumor 
spread  quickly  throughout  the  city. — And  Avere 
confounded.  Either  the  individuals  were  per- 
plexed, or,  more  probably,  the  whole  assembly 
were  thrown  into  confusion  and  excitement,  dis- 
cussing the  meaning  of  the  singular  phenomenon. 
See  ch.  19  :  32 ;  21  :  31,  where  the  verb  is  the 
same. — Because  they  heard  them  speaking, 
each  one  in  his  own  dialect.  See  on  ver.  4. 
The  meaning  is,  not  that  all  the  disciples  spoke 
all  the  dialects,  but  that  each  one  spoke  in  some 
one,  so  that  all  were  heard.  We  may  reasonably 
assume  that  the  disciples  had  come  out  of  the 
upper  chamber,  and  that  the  multitude  was  as- 
sembled in  the  courtyard  of  the  house,  or  in 
some  open  square  in  the  vicinity. 

7,  8.  Are  not  all  these  which  speak 
Galileans?  It  is  not  probable  that  they  were 
literally  all  Galileans ;  but  certainly  the  greater 
part  were  so,  and  all  the  apostles  and  leading  per- 
sons, who  would  probably  be  the  prominent 
speakers.— In  our  own  tongue  wherein  we 
were  born.  This  testimony  is  conclusive 
against  the  theory  that  the  speaking  in  other 
tongues  was  in  an  unmeaning  language  and  in  a 


Oh.  IL] 


THE  ACTS. 


39 


9  Parthians,  and  Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the 
dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  and  in  Judaea,  and  Cappa- 
docia,  in  Pontus,  and  Asia, 

10  Phrygia,  and  Pamphylia,  in  Egypt,  and  in  the 


parts  of  Libya  about  Cyrene,  and  strangers  of  Rome, 
Jews  and  proselytes, 

II  Cretes  and  Arabians,  we  do  hear  them  speak  in 
our  tongues '  the  wonderful  works  of  God. 


1  Cor.  12  :  10,  28. 


state  of  ecstasy.  The  language  was  intelligible 
to  the  various  auditors. 

9-11.  In  the  enumeration  of  the  countries 
which  follows,  the  writer  proceeds  from  the 
northeast  to  the  west  and  south.  For  their  geo- 
graphical position  see  map  and  Gazetteer,  p.  23. 
The  persons  described  Parthians,  Medes,  etc.,  are 
not  the  original  heathen,  who  would  not  have 
been  in  Jerusalem,  but  either  the  Jews  dispersed 
throughout  those  countries,  or  proselytes  to  the 
Jewish  faith  from  the  heathen  nations  (ver.  lo). — 
Parthians.  Parthia  was  in  the  extreme  East, 
between  the  Caspian  Sea  and  the  Persian  Gulf. 
The  Parthian  empire  was  founded  by  Arsaces  I 
about  256  b.  c,  ultimately  included  the  prov- 
inces of  the  earlier  Persian  kingdom,  and  ex- 
tended westward  until  it  met  the  Roman  power 
on  the  Euphrates.  It  was  never  conquered  by 
Rome,  and  continued  until  the  third  century 
after  Christ  acting  as  a  counterpoise  and  a  check 
to  Rome,  and  furnishing  a  not  intolerable  refuge 
to  such  as  had  occasion  to  flee  from  the  power 
of  the  Caesars.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  only 
here.  For  an  elaborate  account  of  this  empire, 
its  history  and  its  semi-civilization,  see  George 
Rawlinson's  Sixth  Great  Oriental  Monarchy. — 
Medes.  Media  lay  west  of  Parthia,  south  of 
the  Caspian  Sea,  east  of  Armenia,  north  of  Per- 
sia. It  was,  historically,  one  of  the  five  great 
oriental  monarchies ;  in  the  seventh  century  be- 
fore Christ  embraced  an  area  of  territory  as  large 
as  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal  to- 
gether, but  lacked  unity  and  therefore  real 
strength  ;  was  a  congeries  of  kingdoms,  each  ruled 
by  its  own  native  prince  ;  was  conquered  by  Cy- 
rus and  merged  in  the  Persian  empire.  It  was 
subsequently  overrun  by  Alexander  the  Great, 
and  eventually  passed  over  to  and  became  a  part 
of  the  Parthian  monarchy,  of  which  it  was  a 
province  or  dependency  at  this  time.  It  is  now 
included  in  the  dominions  of  the  Shah  of  Persia. 
— Elamites.  It  is  difficult  to  define  the  bound- 
aries of  Elam;  in  general  terms  it  may  be  de- 
scribed as  southeast  of  Assyria,  and  south  of 
Media.  It  was  originally  peopled  by  the  de- 
scendants of  Shem  (oen.  lo :  22),  and  subsequently 
became  a  province  of  Babylon,  in  fulfillment  of 

prophetic  denunciation  (isaiah  22:6;  Jer.  49  :  34-39  ;  Ezek. 

32 :  24, 25  j  Dan.  8 : 1, 2).  Its  chicf  city,  Susa,  bccamc 
the  Persian  metropolis.  Captive  Israelites  were 
located  in  Elam  (isaiah  ii  :  ii),  from  whom  were 
perhaps  descended  the  Elamites  of  our  text. — 
Dwellers   in   Mesopotamia.     The   original 


word  Mesopotamia  means  between  rivers ;  it  des- 
ignates a  district  lying  between  the  Euphrates 
and  the  Tigris,  the  land  from  which  Abraham 
was  called,  and  Balaam  came  (oen.  24 :  lo ;  Acts  7:2; 
Deut.  23 : 4).  It  sccms  ncvcr  to  have  been  an  indi- 
vidual state,  but  to  have  belonged  successively 
to  the  Assyrian,  Babylonian,  Greek,  Syrian,  Ro- 
man, and  Parthian  empires.  —  Judea.  Some 
difficulty  has  been  experienced  from  the  inser- 
tion of  Judea  in  this  list,  since  the  language  or 
dialect  of  Judea  would  be  that  of  the  disciples. 
There  appears,  however,  to  have  been  a  differ- 
ence in  dialect  between  the  Galileans  and  the 
Judeans  (Matt.  26 :  73),  and  it  may  have  been  a 
cause  of  astonishment,  if  among  the  Galileans 
were  those  who  spoke  in  the  dialect  and  with  the 
peculiar  accent  of  the  Judeans.  If  the  Galile- 
ans, whose  dialect  was  the  subject  of  ridicule  in 
Judea,  spoke  now  a  pure  Hebrew,  this  would 
have  been  as  notable  a  linguistic  peculiarity  as 
any. — Cappadocia.  The  most  easterly  region 
of  Asia  Minor,  south  of  the  Black  Sea,  and  im- 
mediately west  of  Armenia.  It  was  at  this  time 
a  province  of  Rome  ;  its  inhabitants  are  thought 
to  have  been  of  Syrian  origin ;  its  dialect  was 
probably  a  corrupt  form  of  the  Greek,  but  this  is 
not  certain. — Pontus.  A  district  bordering  on 
and  immediately  south  of  the  Black  Sea.  It  was 
at  this  time  a  Roman  province.  The  inhabitants 
spoke  a  dialect  compounded  of  the  Persian  and 
the  Greek.  Its  religion  was  also  a  composition 
of  the  Greek,  Persian  and  Scythian.  It  apparent- 
ly contained  many  Jewish  residents  (ch.  18  :  2; 
1  Pet.  1 ;  1). — Asia.  Not,  of  course,  the  continent, 
nor  even  what  is  now  known  as  Asia  Minor,  and 
which  includes  Cappadocia  and  Pontus,  but  a 
small  section  of  it,  lying  above  the  ^gean  Sea, 
and  having  Ephesus  for  its  capital.  It  was  a 
province  of  Rome.  Its  boundaries  cannot  be  de- 
fined with  precision,  since  they  were  constantly 
undergoing  change. — Phrygia.  The  same  geo- 
graphical indefiniteness  attaches  to  this  term.  It 
did  not  form  a  distinct  province,  but  was  includ- 
ed in  Asia.  Its  inhabitants,  however,  were  in 
origin  and  character  distinct ;  they  were  an  Indo- 
Gerraanic  race,  who  emigrated  westward  from 
Armenia.  That  this  region  contained  many 
Jews  is  evident  from  ch.  14  : 1,  19.  They  were 
introduced  there  first  by  Antiochus  the  Great 
(josephus'  Ant.  12 : 3, 4).— Pamphylia.  A  small  Ro- 
man province  lying  between  Pisidia  and  the  Med- 
iterranean.— Egypt.  The  enumeration  already 
given  embraces  the  principal  provinces  of  Asia 


40 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  II. 


12  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  in  doubt, 
saying  one  to  another,  What  J  meaneth  this  ? 

13  Others,  mocking,  said.  These  men  are  full  of  new 
wine. 

14  But  Peter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  lifted  up 
his  voice,  and  said  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Judaea,  and 


all^-^  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  be  this  known  unto  you, 
and  hearken  to  my  words : 

15  F"or  these  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  suppose,  see- 
ing'' it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day. 

16  But  this  is  that  which  was '  spoken  by  the  prophet 
Joel: 


j  ch.  n  :  20 k  1  Tieas.  5:7 1  Joel  2  :  28-32. 


Minor.  Egypt  contained  many  Jews ;  two-fifths 
of  tiie  population  of  Alexandria  are  said  to  liave 
been  Jews.— In  the  parts  of  Libya  about 
Cyrene.  The  name  Libya  is  applied  by  the 
Greek  and  Roman  writers  to  the  African  conti- 
nent, generally  excluding  Egypt.  Language  cor- 
responding to  that  used  here  is  employed  by 
Dion  Cassius  and  Josephus  to  designate  that  por- 
tion of  Africa  constituting  the  district  of  Cyre- 
naica,  on  the  southern  coast  of  the  Mediterranean 
and  west  of  Egypt.  There  were  many  Jews  set- 
tled in  this  district,  the  capital  of  which,  Cyrene, 

was  a  Greek  city  (Matt.  27  :  32  ;  Acts  6:9;    11  :  20 :  13  :  1). 

— Roman  sojourners.  That  is,  Roman  Jews, 
or  proselytes  from  the  Roman  to  the  Jewish  faith, 
residing  at  Jerusalem,  or  come  thither  tempora- 
rily on  account  of  the  feast.— Jews  and  prose- 
lytes. This  characterizes  the  entire  class  de- 
scribed, who  were  not  the  heathen  inhabitants  of 
the  districts  mentioned,  but  either  dispersed 
Jews,  or  heathens  converted  to  the  Jewish  faith. 
— Cretes  and  Arabians.  These  are  intro- 
duced, after  the  general  description  of  the  entire 
body  in  the  previous  clause,  as  though  the  writer 
had  forgotten  to  enumerate  them  in  their  order, 
and  added  them  as  an  afterthought.  Cretes  are 
inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Crete  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, south  of  the  ^geau  Sea.  Arabians  are 
such  as  were  scattered  throughout  Arabia  Petrea, 
south  of  Palestine.— In  our  tongues.  See  on 
vers.  4  and  (J. — The  wonderful  works  of 
God.  It  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  the  theme 
of  the  disciples  was  the  wondrousness  of  divine 
mercy  shown  in  the  life,  the  death,  and  the  resur- 
rection of  the  Messiah. 

12,  13.  They  were  all  amazed  and  in 
doubt.  That  is,  as  to  the  significance  of  this 
phenomenon.— What  meaneth  this?  Literally, 
What  will  this  be?  or,  as  we  should  say.  What  is 
going  to  come  of  this  ?— Others,  mocking,  said. 
Not  others  of  the  God-fearing  men  already  de- 
scribed, but  others  beside  them.  Among  the 
crowd  drawn  together  by  the  event,  were  some 
hostile  critics,  who  reviled.  Revivals  of  religion 
have  ever  since  provoked  criticism  as  captious, 
and  explanations  as  peurile,  as  those  offered  here. 
— Sweet  wine.  Not  neio  wine.  The  Pentecost 
was  in  June,  the  first  vintage  not  until  August. 
From  grapes  dried  in  the  sun  and  soaked  in  old 
wine  a  nweet  wine  was  manufactured,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  especially  intoxicating  (Jahn's 
Archeology,  %  69).    Hence,  "to  be  sweetened" 


was  a  Rabbinical  equivalent  for  "to  be  drunk," 
and  here,  "They  are  full  of  sweet  wine"  is 
equivalent  to  "They  are  very  drunk."  So  says 
Lightfoot,  who  suggests  that  this  explanation 
came  from  those  who,  "knowing  no  other  lan- 
guage but  their  own  mother  tongue,  and  not  un- 
derstanding what  the  apostles  said,  while  they 
were  speaking  in  foreign  languages,  thought  they 
said  nothing  but  mere  babble  and  gibberish." 

Ch.  2  :  14-36.    ADDRESS  OF  PETER.     Jesus  proved 

TO  BE  BOTH  KrNG  AND  SAVTOtTB  (ver.  36)  BY  (1)  HIS  FtlL- 
riLLMENT  OP  PROPHECY  (vCrS.  17-21),  (2)  HIS  MIRACLES 

(ver.  22),  (3)  his  resurrection  (ver.  24).  His  resur- 
rection ITSELF  PROVED  BY  PROPHECY  (verS.  3-31),  BY 
APOSTOLIC   TESTIMONY  (VCr.   32),  BY   THE  GIFT  OF  THE 

Holy  Ghost  bestowed  through  him  (ver.  33). 

14.  But  Peter  standing  up  with  the 
eleven.  With,  not  apart  from,  them ;  their 
spokesman,  not  their  superior.  They  stood  up 
with  him  to  give  sanction  to  his  address,  espe- 
cially to  his  appeal  to  them  as  witnesses  of 
Christ's  resurrection  (ver.  83). — Lifted  up  his 
voice.  The  implication  is,  that  the  speaking  in 
other  tongues  had  been  in  the  Christian  assem- 
bly, not  to  the  multitude.  Peter  now  raised  his 
voice  and  addressed  the  throng ;  probably  outside 
the  house  in  which  the  disciples  had  originally 
assembled. — And  preached  to  them.  The 
original  implies  a  solemn  and  weighty  utterance. 
— Men,  Judeans  and  all  ye  sojourners  at 
Jerusalem.  Not  rnen  of  Judea.  The  language 
here  is  like  that  of  Anthony,  "Friends,  Romans, 
countrymen."  Compare  verses  29,  37,  and  ch. 
1  :  16,  where  it  is  not  Fraternal  men,  but  Men, 
brethren.  The  Judeans  are  those  whose  home 
is  in  Judea;  the  sojourners  at  Jerusalem  are 
those  who  have  come  up  as  pilgrims  to  the  feast. 
The  whole  address  was  made  by  Peter  as  a  Jew 
to  Jews,  and  appeals  to  their  national  faith. 

1.5,  16.  For  these  are  not  drunken  as  ye 
suppose.  In  the  original  wo<  is  emphatic,  and  the 
word  rendered  suppose  {v7tiXai.i^uM.i))  is  literally 
to  take  up,  and  indicates  here  a  notion  suggested 
by  others,  and  caught  up  by  the  mind  of  the 
multitude.  The  sentence  might  be  paraphrased, 
It  is  not  true,  this  idea  that  you  have  taken  rip. — 
Seeing  it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day. 
Nine  A.  m.,  and  the  hour  of  morning  prayer  (see 
note  on  cb.  3:  i),  "Before  which  time,  especially  on 
the  Sabbath  and  other  feast  days,  the  Jews  were 
not  wont  so  much  as  to  taste  anything  of  meat  or 
drink." — (Lightfoot.)    Moreover,  it  was  irrational 


Ch.  II.] 


THE  ACTS. 


41 


17  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith 
God,  I  will  pour  out™  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  :  and 
your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  and 
your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old  men 
shall  dream  dreams  : 

18  And  on  my  servants  and  on  my  handmaidens  I 


will  pour  out,  in  those  days,  of  my  Spirit ;  and  °  they 
shall  prophesy : 

19  And  I  will  shew  wonders  in  heaven  above,  and 
signs  in  the  earth  beneath  ;  blood,  and  fire,  and  va- 
pour of  smoke : 


m  lea.  44  :  3  ;  Ezek.  36  :  27  . . .  .  n  ch.  21  :  4,  9,  10 ;  1  Cor.  12  :  10. 


to  suppose  that  an  assembly  would  be  given 
up  to  drunkenness  at  so  early  an  hour  of  the  day, 
and  that  a  solemn  feast  day.  Observe  the  quiet- 
ness and  meekness  with  which  Peter  repels, 
without  resentment,  the  insult  and  derision  of 
the  hostile  Jews,  exemplifying  his  own  subse- 
quent instruction  (i  Pet.  2 :  20, 23 ;  4 :  19). — But  this 
is  that  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet 
Joel;  i.  e.,  a  fulfillment  of  that  prophecy.  The 
quotation  is  from  the  Septuagint  or  Greek  ver- 
sion, with  very  slight  and  quite  immaterial  vari- 
ations. The  passage  quoted  is  Joel  2  :  28-32, 
which  formed  a  part  of  the  scriptural  reading  in 
the  synagogues  in  the  Pentecostal  service,  and 
Joel  in  this  passage  unmistakably  points  to  the 
dispensation  of  the  Spirit  and  the  second  coming 
of  Christ.  Tischendorf,  following  the  Sinaitic 
manuscript,  omits  verse  21 ;  Alford  retains  it. 
It  unquestionably  is  a  part  of  the  original  pro- 
phecy, and  internal  evidence  indicates  that  it 
formed  a  part  of  Peter's  quotation  here. 

17,  18.  In  the  last  days.  In  the  original 
prophecy  the  language  is  afterward.  The  last 
days,  or  the  last  time,  is  used  in  the  N.  T.  to  de- 
scribe the  final  dispensation,  in  which  God  speaks 
to  the  world  through  his  Son  and  by  the  be- 
stowal of  his  Spirit,  in  contrast  with  the  previous 
dispensation  in  which  he  revealed  himself  in 
fragmentary  utterances  through  prophets,  and 
was  approached  by  priests.    See  especially  Heb. 

1  : 1,  2,  and  comp.  2  Tim.  3  :  1 ;  1  Pet.  1  ":  5,  20 ; 

2  Pet.  3  :  3  ;  1  John  2  :  18 ;  Jude  18.  This  period 
is  called  the  "  last  days,"  or  the  "  last  time,"  not 
because  when  the  apostles  wrote  the  end  was 
nigh  at  hand,  but  because  it  constituted  the  last 
dispensation  of  divine  mercy,  and  the  consum- 
mation of  the  conflict  between  the  kingdoms  of 
light  and  of  darkness,  of  truth  and  error,  of  right- 
eousness and  sin,  of  God  and  Satan.  The  length 
of  this  dispensation,  and  so  the  day  and  hour  of 
the  second  coming  of  Christ,  was  not  revealed  to 
the  apostles,  nor  known  to  the  angels,  nor  even 
to  Christ  himself  (Mark  13 :  32),  who  warned  his  fol- 
lowers to  be  constantly  watching  for  it  (Matt.  24 :  42, 
44).  Doubtless  the  early  church  fell  into  the 
error  of  believing  that  the  period  was  shorter 
and  the  hour  of  Christ's  final  manifestation 
nearer  than  they  were.  Our  liability  is  to  fall 
into  the  reverse  error,  and  to  cease  to  watch  be- 
cause we  cease  to  expect  it.  Paul  warns  against 
the  first  error  (2  These.  2 :  2-5),  Peter  against  the  sec- 
ond (2  Pet.  3 : 3-8). — Saith  God.    This  language  is 


Peter's,  not  Joel's ;  compare,  however,  Joel  2 :  13, 
32.  It  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  Joel  spoke 
by  inspiration  of  God.— I  will  pour  out  from 
my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh.  Not  gifts  from 
■my  iSjnrit,  but  my  Spirit  itself.  Indeed,  this  is 
the  language  of  the  original  Hebrew  in  Joel. 
The  metaphor  is  taken  from  the  rain,  in  which 
the  cloud  pours  itself  down  upon  the  parched 
earth.  Comp.  Deut.  32  :  2 ;  Ps.  72  :  6 ;  Hos. 
6:3;  Hos.  10  :  12.  Observe  the  extent  of  the 
promise,  upo7i  all  flesh.  Not  the  giving  of  the 
Spirit,  but  the  outpouring  upon  the  whole 
human  race,  is  the  characteristic  of  the  dispensa- 
tion of  the  last  days.  See  vers.  4,  38,  and  notes. 
All  flesh  is  not  to  be  limited  to  all  who  seek. 
Under  the  N.  T.  the  Spii-it  of  God  is  poured  out 
like  the  rain  and  the  sun  on  all,  but  may  be  grieved 
and  driven  away  by  unbelief  and  indifference 

(Ephes.  4  :  30  ;   1  Thess.  4  :  19). — Your   SOUS   and    yOUr 

daughters  shall  prophesy.  Not,  Shall  fore- 
tell future  events,  which  is  not  the  radical  mean- 
ing of  the  word  prophesy  (see  Stanley's  Jewish 
Church,  Vol.  I  :  Lecture  XIX),  nor  merely,  as 
Calvin,  Shall  possess  a  "rare  and  excellent  gift 
of  understanding,"  but,  as  Hackett,  "Shall  com- 
municate religious  truth  in  general  under  a 
divine  inspiration."  Observe,  this  is  a  divine  ap- 
pointment of  women  as  religious  teachers  in  the 
church  ;  in  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  as  in  the  gift 
of  personal  salvation,  there  is  neither  male  nor 
female  (Gai.  3 :  28).  It  does  not,  however,  indicate 
the  method  in  which  woman  shall  fulfill  the  func- 
tion of  religious  teaching,  whether  in  the  pulpit, 
on  the  platform,  by  the  pen,  or  in  the  home  cir- 
cle. That  is  left  to  be  determined,  either  by 
other  teachings  of  God's  word,  or  by  the  later 
guidance  of  the  Spirit,  the  instincts  of  human- 
ity, and  the  circumstances  of  the  individual. — 
Your  young  men  shall  see  visions  and 
your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams.  Visions 
are  mentioned  in  the  apostolic  times  (Acts  9 :  10, 12 ; 

10  :  3,  17  ;  11  :  5  J  16  :  9  i    18  :  9  ;    26  :  19  ;   2  Cor.  12  :  l),  but  not 

dreams,  which  are  throughout  the  Bible  treated 
as  an  inferior  form  of  divine  revelation  and  gen- 
erally confined  to  those  not  possessing  any  other 
revelation  of  the  divine  will  (see  Matt.  27 :  19,  note). 
The  vision  differs  from  the  dream  in  that  it  in- 
volves a  real  appearance  to  the  soul  in  a  waking 
and  conscious  state.  The  language  here  implies 
that  God  will  still  employ  visions  and  dreams ; 
but  it  does  not  imply  their  use  under  circum- 
stances in  which  be  never  employed  them  in  the 


43 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IL 


20  The  "  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the 
moon  into  blood,  before  that  great  and  notable  day  of 
the  Lord  come :  ,  ,    „ 

21  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  p  shall 
call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved. 


22  Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear  these  words;  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  a  man  approved  of  God  among  you  by  mir- 
aclesi  and  wonders  and  signs,  which  God  did,  by  him, 
in  the  midst  of  you,  as  ye  ■■  yourselves  also  know : 


Mark  13  :  24  ;  2  Pet.  3  :  7,  10 p  Ps.  86  :  6  j  Rom.  10  :  13  ;  1  Cor.  1,2;  Heb.  4 :  16 q  John  14  :  10, 11 ;  Heb.  2:4 r  John  15  :  24. 


past,  and  therefore  not  among  a  people  possess- 
ing the  far  clearer  revelation  of  an  open  word. — 
And  upon  my  man  servants  and  upon  my 
maid  servants.  Neither  sex,  nor  age,  nor  con- 
dition in  life  shall  constitute  any  bar  to  this  bless- 
ing. In  fact,  some  of  the  greatest  preachers  have 
been  men  of  lowly  birth  and  condition. 

19,  20.  For  reasons  stated  more  fully  in  my 
notes  on  Matt.  24,  especially  verses  39-31, 1  think 
it  clear  that  this  language  describes  not  phenom- 
ena attendant  upon  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, but  those  which  are  to  precede  and  accom- 
pany the  second  coming  of  Christ.  These  will 
mark  the  end  of  the  last  days  which  were  inau- 
gurated at  Pentecost,  and  in  which  we  are  living. 
Peter  quotes  the  entire  prophetic  description  of 
this  era,  without  knowing  how  long  a  time  must 
elapse  before  its  consummation.  The  language 
of  the  prophet  here  and  of  Christ  in  Matthew 
should  be  compared.  See  also  1  Thess.  4  :  15-17  ; 
2  Thess.  1  :  7 ;  1  Cor.  15  :  52;  Rev.  6  :  12-14.— 
Portents  in  the  heavens  above.  The  ori- 
ginal (TiQue)  signifies  something  foreboding  ca- 
lamity.—And  signs.  Evidences  of  divine  pres- 
ence and  power. — Blood  and  fire.  This  may 
be  taken  symbolically  to  mean  devastating  wars, 
in  which  case  the  language  here  is  parallel  to 
Matt.  24  :  7,  or,  as  Alford,  bloody  and  fiery  ap- 
pearances of  a  supernatural  character. — Vapour 
of  smoke.  That  is,  columns  of  smoke. — Great 
and  notable  day  of  the  Lord.  Tischendorf 
omits,  Alford  retains,  the  term  notable.  It  is, 
however,  without  question,  in  the  original  pro- 
phecy, and  its  position  renders  it  emphatic.  The 
term  signifies  not  a  horrible  day,  as  the  Vulgate 
in  Joel  renders  it,  nor  a  notable,  i.  e.,  remarka- 
ble day,  as  our  English  version  renders  it,  but  a 
day  clearly  manifest,  i.  e.,  one  the  nature  of  which 
is  not  and  cannot  be  hid  from  any.  It  thus  an- 
swers to  Christ's  description  in  Matt.  24  :  27; 
see  note  there.  Coming  in  mercy,  he  is  hid 
from  them  that  are  lost  (2  Cor.  4 : 3, 4  j  comp.  Matt.  13 :  14, 
15) ;  coming  in  judgment,  he  wUl  be  manifest  to 

all  (Rev.  6  ■  15,  16). 

21.  Whosoever  shall  have  called  on  the 
name   of  the  Lord  shall   be  saved.     The 

call  must  precede  the  salvation,  and  is  a  condi- 
tion precedent  to  it.  (Aorist  subj.  with  "»  is 
equivalent  to  fut,  perf.  in  Latin.  Winer,  307. 
See  ver.  39,  note.)  The  promise  here,  which 
ends  the  quotation  from  Joel,  is  applicable 
throughout  the  whole  period  of  the  "  last  days," 
from  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost 


to  the  second  coming  of  Christ  in  judgment. 
If  verses  19  and  20  are  regarded  as  descriptive  of 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  then  this  verse  is 
simply  a  promise  to  save  the  inhabitants  from 
that  destruction  ;  and  this  appears  to  be  Hen- 
derson's interpretation,  which  seems  to  me  to 
belittle  the  whole  passage,  and  impair  the  force 
and  meaning  of  Peter's  entire  address.  He 
speaks,  not  to  the  Jews  only,  but  through  them 
to  the  whole  world,  not  of  national  deliverance 
from  earthly  peril,  but  of  soul  salvation  from  sin 
and  doom.  To  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  is 
here  equivalent  to  Return  unto  the  Lord  in 
Isaiah  55  :  7,  or  Look  unto  me  in  Isaiah  45  :  22, 
and  nearly  the  same  as  Repent  and  be  baptized 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  in  ver.  38,  though 
there  baptism,  as  the  sign  of  public  confession 
of  Christ,  is  added.  "  The  gates  of  God's  mercy 
are  thrown  open  in  Christ  to  all  people  :  no  bar- 
rier is  placed,  no  union  with  any  external  asso- 
ciation or  succession  is  required  :  the  promise  is 
to  individuals  as  individuals." — (Alford.)  Nor 
is  there  required  any  rite  or  ceremony,  or  any 
theological  knowledge  or  creed,  as  a  condition 
of  salvation  ;  simply  a  calling  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  i.  c,  Jesus  Christ  (ver.  36).  See,  for  illus- 
tration of  this  truth,  Luke  23  :  42. 

22.  Men,  Israelites.  Not  3Ien  cf  Israel. 
See  note  on  ver.  14. — Jesus  the  Nazarene. 
Not  without  significance  does  Peter  here  and 
elsewhere  (ch.  3 : 6 ;  4 :  10)  accept  and  employ  this 
opprobrious  epithet.  Him  whom  Israel  despised 
God  approved. — Hear  these  words.  Consider 
the  meaning  of  this  prophecy,  which  accordingly 
Peter  proceeds  to  expound. — A  man  made 
manifest  unto  you  by  God.  The  word  ap- 
prove is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  sanction. — By 
mighty  works,  and  wonders,  and  signs. 
These  words  indicate  the  Scriptural  definition  of 
a  miracle,  which  is  a  mighty  ivork,  i.  e.,  something 
evidently  wrought  by  superhuman  power,  a  won- 
der, i.  e.,  something  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of 
nature,  thus  attracting  attention  and  compelling 
investigation,  and  a  sign,  i.  e.,  such  a  wonder 
and  work  as  is  irresistibly  a  sign  of  the  divine 
presence  and  power.  By  these  Christ's  charac- 
ter and  authority  were  attested  to  the  people  of 
Israel.  Observe  that  in  the  language  of  the 
N.  T.  there  is  no  sanction  whatever  for  the  com- 
mon but  false  definition  of  a  miracle  as  an  event 
contrary  to  the  laws  of  nature. — Which  God 
did  by  him.  Observe  the  works  are  attributed 
by  Peter,  as  by  Christ  (John  14 :  10),  to  the  power 


Oh.  IL] 


THE  ACTS. 


43 


23  Him,  being "  delivered  by  the  determinate  coun- 
sel and  foreknowledge  of  God,  ye'  have  taken,  and" 
by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain  : 

24  Whom"  God  hath  raised  up,  having  loosed  the 
pains  of  death  :  because  it  was  not  possible  "  that  he 
should  be  holden  of  it. 

25  For  David  speaketh  "  concerning  him,  I  foresaw 


the  Lord  always  before  my  face  ;  for  he  is  on  my  right 
hand,  that  I  should  not  be  moved  : 

26  Therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and  my  tongue 
was  glad  ;  moreover  also  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope  : 

27  Because  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell, 
neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corrup- 
tion. 


8ch.  3:18;   Luke  22:  22;   24:44 1  ch.  5  :  30 u  Mult.  27  :  1 v  eh.  13  :  30,  34  ;  Luke  24  :  1-6  :    1  Cor.  6  :  14;  Ephes.  1  •  io-   Col    212- 

1  Theas.  1  :  10;  Heb.  13  : -iO;  1  Pel.  1  :  21....W  Joh.i  10  :  18....X  Ps.  16:  8-11.  '      ' 


r 


of  Israel's  God.  Jesus  Christ  is  never  preached 
by  the  apostles  so  as  to  detract  love  and  alle- 
giance from  the  one  God  and  Father  of  all. 

23.  Him,  by  the  determinate  counsel 
and  foreknowledge  of  God,  being  given 
forth,  ye,  taking,  and  with  lawless  hands 
nailing  (to  the  cross),  have  slain.  Not,  De- 
livered up  by  Judas  in  accordance  with  the  wUl 
of  God,  but.  Given  up  to  humanity  by  the  loill  of 
God.  The  declaration  is  parallel  to  John  3  :  16 ; 
Gal.  4:4,  5.  Being  thus  given  over  to  the 
world,  the  world  knew  him  not,  but  taking  him, 
nailed  him  to  the  cross.  God  is  represented  as 
holding  a  counsel  with  himself  respecting  man's 
redemption,  as  in  Gen.  1  :  26  respecting  his  crea- 
tion ;  and  the  adjective  determinate  (from  o^ifjo), 
to  put  limits  to)  impUes  that  in  this  counsel  the 
manner  of  the  redemption,  viz.,  by  death,  was 
also  determined  on.  With  this  accords  Christ's 
own  declaration  (Luke  22 :  22),  and  it  is  here  asserted 
to  show  that  the  crucifixion  was  not  due  to  the 
powerlessness  of  Christ,  but  to  the  purpose  of 
God.  The  phrase  lawless  hands  recalls  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  crucifixion,  the  original  trial 
before  the  Sanhedrim  being  conducted  in  fla- 
grant violation  of  the  Jewish  rules  of  precedent 
(see  Vol.  I,  p.  298),  the  Sentence  of  Pilate  being  co- 
erced by  a  mob.  Nailing  emphasizes  the  brutal 
and  cruel  character  of  the  deed ;  and  the  whole 
is  charged  upon  Israel,  not,  as  Olshausen,  be- 
cause "all  mankind  were  in  fact  guilty  of  the 
death  of  Jesus,"  in  which  case  Peter  must  have 
said  "we,"  not  "ye,"  but  because,  but  for  the 
popular  outcry  of  Crucify  him,  Pilate  would  not 
have  given  sentence  of  death  (John  19 :  e). 

21.  Whom  God  hath  raised  up,  having 
destroyed  the  pains  of  death.  Not,  Hav- 
ing released  him  from  the  hands  of  death,  for  the 
word  rendered  pains  (loJi?)  does  not  mean  bands, 
hnt  sorrows  ;  literally,  travail  pains  ;  nor,  Having 
released  him  from  the  pains  of  death,  i.  e.,  the 
physical  pains,  for,  in  fact,  he  bore  them  all  to 
the  end  ;  nor.  Having  loosed  death's  pains,  as 
though  "  death  itself  in  holding  him  had  pangs 
and  was  sore  bestead  "  (Chrysostom) ;  but,  as  in 
1  Cor.  15  :  54—57,  Having  by  him  and  in  his  person 
destroyed  the  pain  of  death,  viz.,  sin,  not  for  him 
only,  but  in  and  through  him  for  all  the  world. 
It  was  because  Christ  knew  no  sin,  that  death 
could  not  hold  him,  as  it  is  because  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord  are  by  his  atonement  freed  from  sin, 


that  death,  the  penalty  of  sin,  cannot  hold  them 

(Rom.  5  :  12,  21  ;  John  11  :  25,  26). 

25-28.  The  quotation  is  from  Psalm  16  :  8-11, 
and  the  original  is  verbatim  from  the  Septnagint. 
The  context  there  clearly  indicates  that  David 
spoke  primarily  of  himself.  Ver.  31  here  clearly 
indicates  that  he  foresaw,  more  or  less  clearly,  in 
this  utterance,  a  prophecy  of  Christ's  resurrec- 
tion. This  double  reference  will  surely  give  no 
trouble  to  those  who  believe  that  Christ  was  per- 
fect man,  and  that  in  his  resurrection  as  in  his 
life,  he  exemplifies  in  its  perfection  that  experi- 
ence which  is  imperfectly  exemplified  in  all  his 
saints,  and  this  whether  they  preceded  and  be- 
lieved in  a  Messiah  to  come,  or  follow  and  believe 
in  a  Messiah  who  has  been  revealed. — I  am  ac- 
customed to  see  the  Lord  always  before 
my  face.  The  verb  is  in  the  imperfect  tense, 
implymg  a  habit  of  life,  and  is  interpreted  by 
Heb.  13  :  3,  "Looking unto  Jesus";  and  by 3  Cor. 
5  :  7,  "We  walk  by  faith." — For  he  is  at  my 
right  hand  that  I  should  not  be  disturbed. 
That  is,  mentally  perturbed.  The  conscious 
presence  of  God  gives  peace  to  the  godly  (john 
16 :  33 ;  Heb.  11 : 2?).  Of  this  experience  of  steadfast 
peace  David  himself  affords  a  marvelous  illustra- 
tion in  Psalm  3,  written  during  his  flight  from 
Absalom.  See  especially  ver.  5. — Therefore 
did  my  heart  rejoice  and  my  tongue  give 
praise.  The  one  expression  refers  to  the  in- 
ward experience  of  joy,  the  other  to  its  outward 
expression  in  thanksgiving. — Moreover,  also, 
my  flesh  shall  tabernacle  in  hope  that 
thou  wilt  not  abandon  my  soul  to  Hades. 
The  original  verb  {y.araa/.tpiiixt)  means  literally,  to 
pitch  tent  or  encamp.  Here,  the  meaning  ap- 
pears to  me  to  be,  not.  My  flesh  shall  rest  in  the 
grave  in  hope, because  of  the  future  resurrection, 
for  hope  does  not  abide  in  the  grave,  and  can 
hardly,  even  by  poetic  license,  be  represented  as 
dwelling  there ;  but,  My  flesh,  i.  e.,  I,  myself,  in 
my  earthly  life  and  nature,  shall  sojourn  here  in 
this  life,  sustained  throughout  by  the  hope  that 
thou  wilt  not  abandon  my  soul  to  the  place  of 
the  dead.  This,  which  was  only  a  hope  with  the 
O.  T.  saints,  and  an  uncertain  one  (seePs.  88: 10-12; 
115 :  n),  is  a  certainty  of  the  Christian  since 
Christ's  resurrection.  Thus  interpreted,  this 
verse,  as  an  utterance  of  Christian  experience, 
is  parallel  to  Kom.  8  :  23,  24.  Hell  is  not  here  the 
abode  of  the  lost,  but  the  abode  of  the  dead  {uidm 


44 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IL 


28  Thou  hast  made  known  to  me  the  ways  of  life ; 
-thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance. 

29  Men  and  brethren,  let  me  freely  speak  unto  you 
of  the  patriarch  David,  that  he  is  both'  dead  and  buried, 
and  his  sepulchre  is  with  us  unto  this  day. 

30  Therefore  being  y  a  prophet,  and  knowing  that 
God  had  sworn '  with  an  oath  »  to  him,  that  of  the  fruit 


of  his  loins,  according'  to  the  flesh,  he  would  raise  up 
Christ  to  sit  on  his  throne  ; 

31  He,  seeing  this  before,''  spake  of  the  resurrection 
of  t^hrist,  that  his  soul  was  not  left  in  hell,  neither  his 
flesh  did  see  corruption. 

32  This<^  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up,  whereof  "i  we  all 
are  witnesses. 


y  2  Sam.  23  :  2 z  2  Sam.  7  :  12, 13 ;  Ps. 


ill a  Heb.  6:17 b  1  Pet.  1 :  11,  12 ....  c  verse  24 d  Lake  24  :  48. 


not  yttva). — Neither  deliver  over  thy  saint 
to  experience  annihilation.  Not,  as  in  our 
English  version,  Thy  Holy  One.  The  word  so 
rendered  is  an  adjective  {uaiog)  meaning  holy, 
but  is  never  used  in  the  N.  T.  to  designate  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  Holy  One,  Here  the  reference  is 
primarily  to  David,  and  expresses  his  hope  in  the 
future  life  of  all  the  saints  of  God.  Neither  does 
the  word  rendered  corruption  {t)iu(p9oQu)  neces- 
sarily imply  putrescence  ;  rather,  utter  destruc- 
tion. The  expression  implies  a  hope,  not  so 
much  of  the  preservation  of  the  body  from  decay, 


as  of  the  life  from  extinction.  See  is  equivalent 
to  experience,  as  in  Luke  3  :  36. — The  ways  of 
life.  The  ways  of  spiritual  life  here  that  lead  to 
eternal  life  hereafter.  Spiritual  death  and  life 
both  begin  in  time,  and  are  carried  out  and  con- 
summated in  eternity. — Thou  ^xrilt  make  me 
full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance.  In  the 
future  life,  as  in  the  earthly  experience  of  the 
Christian,  the  conscious  presence  of  God  is  the 
inspiration  of  his  joy  (Psaim  n  -.  15).  This  experi- 
ence of  the  Christian,  as  David  here  outlines  it, 
is  emphatically  true  of  Christ,  who  dwelt  contin- 


TOMBS    OF    THE    KINGS. — DAVID'S    SEPULCHKB 


nally  in  God,  and  God  in  him  (John  u :  10) ;  whose 
joy  was  full  (John  15 :  ii) ;  whose  life,  as  well  as 
tongue,  proclaimed  the  praise  of  the  Father  (John 
n :  4) ;  who  endured  his  earthly  life  and  passion, 
despising  the  shame  for  the  joy  that  was  set  be- 
fore him  (Heb.  12 : 2),  kuowiug  that  death  had  no 
dominion  over  him  (John  lo  :  n),  and  would  not 
have  even  over  his  body. 

29,  30.  Men,  brethren,  I  may  speak  with 
freedom  to  you  of  the  patriarch  David. 
He  does  not  ask  permission  :  he  asserts  his  right 
BO  to  do.  "  With  freedom ;  without  fear  of  being 
thought  deficient  in  any  just  respect  to  his  mem- 
ory."— (Ilaclcett.) — His  sepulchre  is  \vith  us 
unto  this  day.  David  was  buried  at  Jerusa- 
lem and  on  Mount  Zion  (l  Kings  2  :  lO ;  Neh.  3  :  16).    Jo- 


sephus  (Antiq.  7 :  16,  s)  givcs  an  account  of  the  tomb 
being  opened  and  rifled  successively  by  Hyrcanus 
and  King  Herod.  According  to  Jerome,  it  was 
known  as  late  as  the  fourth  century.  The  sup- 
posed site  on  the  southern  brow  of  Mount  Zion 
is  probably  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  actual 
one. — And  knowing  that  God  had  sworn. 
Psalm  1(5  is  supposed  to  have  been  written  on  the 
delivery  of  this  promise  by  Nathan  to  David 
(2  Sam.  7 :  12-16).  That  of  thc  fruit  of  his  loins 
one  should  sit  on  his  throne.  This  is  the 
reading  of  Tischendorf,  Alford  and  Lachmann, 
and  is  undoubtedly  the  correct  one.  The  words, 
according  to  the  flesh  he  would  raiae  up  Christ, 
were  added  as  an  explanation  by  some  copyist. 
31.  He,  foreseeing  this.   David  then  recog- 


Cn.  II.] 


THE  ACTS. 


45 


33  Therefore,"  being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalt- 
ed, and  having'  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this,e  which  ye  now^ 
see  and  hear. 

34  For  David  is  not  ascended  into  the  heavens:  but 


he  saith  himself,  The  LoRDh  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit 
thou  on  my  right  hand, 

35  Until  I  make  thy  foes  thy  footstool. 

36  Therefore  let  all  the  house'  of  Israel  know  assur- 
edly, that'  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye 
have  crucified,  both  Lord  "^  and  Christ.' 


r  ch.  5  :31;   Phil.  2;  9....f  ch. 


:4;    Johal6:7,  13. . .  .g  ch.  4:31;  10  :  45. ..  .h  Pa,  110  :  1 ;  Mutt.  22  :  44. ..  .1  Zeoh.  13:  l....i  ch.  5  •  31 
k  J..hu  3  :  36. . .  .1  Ps.  2  :  2,  6-8. 


nized  in  this  psalm  a  prophetic  import,  though 
he  may  not  have  fully  comprehended  the  mean- 
ing of  what  he  wrote. — Spake  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  Messiah ;  for  his  soul  Avas 
not  abandoned  to  Hades,  neither  did  his 
flesh  experience  annihilation.  Not,  as  in 
our  English  version,  That  his  soul  ivas  not  left,  etc. 
Peter  does  not  again  quote  David's  prophecy, 
but  states,  as  a  fact,  that  the  Messiah  was  not 
left  subject  to  death,  as  an  evidence  that  the 
prophecy  of  David,  not  perfectly  fulfilled  in  his 
own  experience,  was  fulfilled  now — in  the  experi- 
ence of  Jesus  the  Nazarene.  Observe  the  differ- 
ence in  language  here  and  in  ver.  27.  David 
says,  Thou  wilt  not  suffer  thy  saint  to  experience 
annihilation ;  here  Peter  declares  that  even  the 
flesh  of  Christ  has  not  been  destroyed. 

32,  33.  Whereof.  Or,  Ofivhom.  See  3  :  15, 
note. — We  all  are  witnesses.  All ;  primarily, 
the  twelve  apostles  (see  ver.  i4,  note),  but  also  many, 
doubtless,  among  the  multitude  of  the  disciples 
(i  Cor.  15 :  s). — Receiving  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  from  the  Father,  he  hath 
poured  this  out  which  ye  now  see  and 
hear.  Not,  these  physical  signs — the  sound  as 
of  wind,  and  the  tongues  as  of  fire — but  the  whole 
phenomenon,  including  both  the  physical  and 
the  spiritual.  Observe  that  the  Father  gives  the 
Son  to  the  world  (John  3 :  16),  and  gives  the  Spirit 
to  and  through  the  Son,  so  that  all  is  in  and 
through  and  from  the  Father,  that  he  may  be  all 
and  in  all  (Rom.  n  :  36;  i  Cor.  15 :  28).  The  climax  of 
the  address,  which  throughout  refers  all  to  the 
one  only  God,  is  also  noteworthy.  Jesus  Christ 
is  accredited  by  God,  by  works  wrought  among 
you  by  God,  being  delivered  over  to  you  by  God, 
and  finally  raised  up  by  God,  and  by  God  made 
both  Lord  and  Christ  (vers.  22, 23, 36),  It  seems  to 
me  better  to  take  the  language  here  as  in  our 
English  version,  by  the  right  hand  of  God  (as  Al- 
ford,  Meyer,  Calvin),  rather  than  to  the  right  hand 
of  God  (as  Hackett,  Olshausen,  Neander).  Either 
rendition  is,  however,  grammatically  admissible. 

34,  35.  For  David  is  not  ascended  unto 
the  heavens.  The  Jews  generally  believed 
that  the  dead  awaited  in  Hades  the  appointed 
time  for  their  resurrection,  and  entered  into  their 
final  state  after  this  intermediate  state,  which 
was  brought  to  an  end  by  a  general  judgment  (job 
3 ;  n-19 ;  14 :  12 ;  John  11 :  24).  To  this  belief  Peter  ap- 
'peals,  and  his  language  here  certainly  implies 
that  he  shared  this  popular  conviction  that  the 


saints,  at  least  the  O.  T.  saints,  did  not  enter  at 
once  upon  death  into  the  full  fruition  of  their 
heavenly  state.— But  he  saith  himself.  In 
Psalm  110  :  1,  which  is  believed  to  have  been 
written  on  the  same  occasion  as  Psalm  IG. — The 
Lord  saith  unto  my  Lord.  In  the  original 
Hebrew  two  different  words  are  used,  rendered 
in  the  Greek  and  the  English  by  the  same  word. 
The  sense  would  be  better  given  by  translating, 
Jehovah  said  to  my  Lord.  As  David  had  in  his 
lifetime  no  earthly  superior,  the  reference  to  the 
Messiah,  as  his  sovereign,  is  unmistakable.  See 
Matt.  32  :  44,  note.— The  footstool  of  thy 
feet.  See  3  Sam.  23  :  41.  In  this  reference  to 
Psalm  110,  Peter  fortifies  his  argument  for  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  explicit 
declaration  of  David  that  the  Messiah  should  be 
raised  up  to  sit  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  shar- 
ing his  dominion  with  him. 

36.  This  verse  is  the  consummation  and  climax 
of  the  whole  discourse,  viz.,  (1)  that  by  the  resur- 
rection God  hath  certified  that  he  has  made  Jesus 
the  Nazarene  both  Lord,  i.  e.  sovereign  or  king, 
Ijrimarily  of  the  Jewish  nation,  secondarily  of  the 
whole  earth,  and  Messiah,  i.  e.  the  Anointed  One 
or  priest,  by  whom  there  is  alone  access  to  God 

(Vol.  I  :  57,  note  on  The  Names  of  Jesus)  ;    and  (3)  that    thiS 

their  King  and  Messiah,  thus  certified  to  by  mir- 
acles while  he  lived,  by  his  resurrection,  and  by 
his  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  they  had  crucified. 

Peter's  Pentecostal  Sermon. — This  sermon 
I  believe  to  be  a  model  of  what  the  revival  ser- 
mon should  be  ;  not  necessarily  in  its  form,  but 
in  its  structure  and  spirit.  In  studying  it,  ob- 
serve that,  (1 )  It  does  not  appeal  to  the  imagina- 
tion ;  contains  no  word-painting,  no  sensuous 
images,  no  brilliant  rhetoric  ;  it  is  not  sensation- 
al. (3.)  It  contains  little  exhortation,  and  no  ap- 
peal to  the  feelings;  it  is  not  passional.  (3.)  It 
contains  no  metaphysical  or  abstruse  teachings. 
It  embodies  the  essential  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel, but  no  refined  speculations  respecting  them. 
It  declares  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  but  does  not 
discuss  how  the  Spirit  works  in  the  hearts  of 
men  ;  declares  the  truth  of  the  resurrection,  but 
does  not  discuss  the  nature  of  the  resurrection  ; 
declares  the  foreknowledge  and  decrees  of  God, 
but  does  not  discuss  their  relations  to  the  free- 
will of  man  ;  declares  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus, 
but  does  not  discuss  his  nature,  or  the  cause  of 
his  atoning  sacrifice,  or  the  philosophy  of  the 
plan  of  salvation.    It  is  doctrinal,  but  neither 


46 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  II. 


37  Now  when  they  heard  this,  they  were  pricked  ™ 
in  their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter  and  to  the  rest 
of  the  apostles.  Men  and  brethren,  what"  shall 
we  do? 


38  Then  Peter  said  unto  them,"  Repent,  and  be  bap- 
tized every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


m  Ezek.  7  :  16 :  Zech.  12  :  10 . . . .  n  ch.  9  :  6 ;  16  :  30 . . . .  o  ch.  3  :  19 ;  Lake  24  :  47. 


dogmatical  nor  metaphysical.  (4.)  It  is  mainly  a 
statement  of  facts,  Christ's  character,  life  and 
miracles,  his  death,  his  resurrection,  his  ascen- 
sion. (5.)  The  whole  argument  rests  on  these 
considerations  :  {a)  facts  known  to  the  hearers — 
the  miracles  performed  by  Jesus,  his  crucifixion 
in  disregard  of  law,  the  death  and  burial  of 
David,  etc. ;  (&)  facts  testified  to  by  the  apostles 
from  their  personal  knowledge,  Christ's  resur- 
rection and  ascension ;  (c)  the  Scripture.  (6.)  Its 
object  and  effect  is  to  produce  a  personal  sense 
of  sin,  and  that  the  particular  sin  of  rejecting  the 
Messiah  and  Saviour  of  the  nation  and  the  world. 

Ch.  2"  :  37-47.  EFFECT  OF  OUTPOURING  OP  THE 
SPIRIT.— On  THE  MtiLTiTUDE:  AWE  (ver.  43;,  convic- 
tion OP  snj  (ver.  37),  conversion  (ver.  41).— On  the 

APOSTLES :    EARNEST    AND   PERSONAL    WORK    FOR    THE 

CONVERSION  OF  SOULS  (ver.  37,  38). — On  tub  church  : 

DOCILITY,  SYMPATHY,  DEVOUTNESS,  CHARITY,  GLAD- 
NESS,  SLMPLICITY,  public  FAVOR  (42-47). 

37.  They  were  pricked  in  their  heart. 

Comp.  Heb.  4  :  13.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
the  efiect  produced  was  largely  on  the  strangers 
and  pilgrims  (vers.  9-n)  as  well  as  on  those  who 
had  directly  j^articipated  in  the  crucifixion. 
Observe  that  it  is  the  story  of  the  cross,  not  the 
preaching  of  the  law,  which  produced  conviction 
of  sin ;  the  preaching  of  the  law  is  not  a  neces- 
sary preparation  to  the  preaching  of  the  cross. 
Comp.  Zech.  12  :  10.  Observe,  too,  that  they 
were  not  only  pricked  in  their  heart,  but  were 
also  obedient  to  Peter's  counsel.  "There  must 
be  added  unto  this  pricking  in  heart,  readiness  to 
obey.  Cain  and  Judas  were  pricked  in  heart, 
but  despair  did  keep  them  back  from  submitting 
themselves  unto  God  "  (cen.  4 :  i3 ;  Matt.  27 : 3). — ( Cal- 
vin.)— To  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles. 
The  meeting  now  evidently  broke  up  into  frag- 
ments, personal  conversation  rvith  inquirers  follow- 
ing the  p-iiblic  sermon.  An  inquiry  meeting  is  not 
truly  a  new  method. — What  shall  we  do? 
This  question  is  not  exactly  equivalent  to  the 
jailer's  question.  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?  (ch. 
16 :  30).  Convinced  that  the  nation  had  put  its 
Messiah  to  death,  the  people  were  overwhelmed 
with  both  sorrow  and  perplexity.  They  could 
not  undo  the  deed  ;  what  could  they  do? 

38.  Repent  and  be  baptized  each  of  you 
upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins.  In  getting  the  exact  mean- 
ing of  Peter's  directions  to  these  inquirers,  ob- 
serve, (1)  Repent  (utruvuioi)  is  literally  to  perceive 
afterwards,  and  hence  to  cfiange  the  mind,  includ- 


ing one's  view  of  life  and  truth,  and  hence  one's 
purpose.  See  Matt.  3  :  3,  note.  Here  it  in- 
cludes an  entire  change  of  opinion  respecting 
Jesus  Christ,  from  regarding  him  as  an  impostor 
to  reverencing  him  as  both  Lord  and  Christ ;  but 
it  also  includes  all  that  change  of  interior  life 
and  purpose  which  is  consequent  thereon.  The 
Roman  Catholic  translation,  Do  penance,  making 
the  direction  merely  the  observance  of  certain 
legal  rites,  is  equally  inconsistent  with  the  origi- 
nal Greek  and  with  the  spirit  of  the  entire  pas- 
sage. (2. )  Be  baptized  follows  in  order  the  direc- 
tion to  repent.  Baptism  is  not  a  regenerating 
ordinance,  but  a  sign  and  symbol  of  repentance 
and  a  public  confession  of  Christ.  On  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  see  on  Matthew,  pp.  73  and  338. 
(3.)  Uach  of  you  shows  that  the  repentance  and 
baptism  must  be  a  personal  act.  The  multitude 
could  not  have  been  baptized  under  this  direc- 
tion, as  some  of  the  converts  under  Xavier's 
preaching  were  baptized  in  India,  by  being 
sprinkled  all  together  as  a  multitude.  (4.)  Upon  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  is  as  Dr.  Hackett,  "  Upon  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  foundation  of  the 
baptism,  i.  e.,  with  an  acknowledgment  of  him 
in  that  act,  as  being  what  his  name  imports,  the 
sinner's  only  hope,  his  Redeemer,  Ju.stifier,  Lord, 
final  Judge."  (5.)  For  the  remission  qf  si7is  is 
not  merely,  as  Dr.  Hackett,  "in  order  to  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,"  but,/o?-  the  putting  away  of 
sins,  the  entire  cleansing  of  the  heart  from  actual 
sin,  as  well  as  the  pardon  of  those  that  are  past. 
See  Matt.  6  :  13,  note ;  see  also  Isaiah  1  :  18 ; 
Matt.  1  :  21-,  1  John  1  :  9.  What  the  Gospel 
promises  is  pardon  for  the  past  and  deliverance 
from  the  dominion  of  sin  in  the  future  (Rom.  6 :  u), 
on  condition  of  repentance,  i.  e,,  a  change  of 
heart,  life,  and  purpose,  and  baptism,  i.  e.,  a 
public  confession  of  Jesus  Christ  as  both  Jesus, 
i.  e..  Saviour,  and  Christ,  i.  e.,  Lord  or  Master, 
the  one  involving  trust  in  him  for  pardon,  the 
other  obedience  to  him  for  the  future.— And  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
That  is,  on  the  conditions  already  explained, 
they  should  receive  that  same  gift  of  the  in- 
dwelling and  inspiring  presence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  the  manifestation  of  which  they  beheld  in 
the  apostles  and  other  disciples.  Whoever  thus 
repented  and  were  baptized  should  also  be  in- 
spired. See  on  ver.  4.  This  is  still  m.ore  em- 
phatically declared  m  the  succeeding  verse. 

39.    For    the    promise.      What    promise'^? 
That  on  which  Peter  has  already  expatiated,  the 


Ch.  IL] 


THE  ACTS. 


47 


39  For  the  promise  p  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  chil- 
dren, and  i  to  all  that  are  alar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call. 

40  And  with  many  other  words  did  he  testify  and  ex- 


hort, saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  gen- 
eration. 

41  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were 
baptized :  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto 
them  about  three  thousand  souls. 


p  Joel  a  :  28 q  Ephes.  2  :  13,  17. 


promise  of  the  Spirit  of  God  (verses  n,  is ;  comp.  i  :  4 ; 
Ephes.  1 :  13). — Is  unto  you  and  to  your  chil- 
dren. The  original  {tixvoy)  may  mean  either 
descendants,  as  in  ch.  13  :  33,  Matt.  27  :  25,  or 
children^  as  in  ch.  21  :  5,  Matt.  7  :  11.  The 
promise  is,  however,  conditional  on  repentance 
and  baptism,  and  therefore  does  not,  by  its 
terms,  include  any  except  such  as  are  capable 
of  repentance.  The  former  meaning,  descend- 
ants, suits  the  context  better,  for  thus  it  includes 
the  latter,  children,  and  makes  the  promise  in- 
clude the  whole  family  of  mankind. — And  to 
all  that  are  afar  off.  All  Gentile  nations. 
The  near  are  Jews,  the  afar  off  Gentiles  (isaiah 

67  :  19  ;  Zech.  6  :  15  ;  Ephes.  2  :  13,  17).  SomC  haVC  ques- 
tioned this  meaning  here,  because  Peter  was  sub- 
sequently surprised  at  the  call  of  the  Gentiles 

(chap.  10  :  28  ;    11  :  16,  17  ;    Gal.  2  :  12)  ;    and    Others,    not 

questioning  the  meaning,  have  doubted  the  fact 
that  Peter  uttered  it.  The  difficulty  is,  however, 
purely  imaginary.  Not  only  the  apostles,  but 
also  every  pious  Jew,  expected  the  conversion  of 
the  Gentiles  in  great  numbers ;  what  surprised 
Peter,  and  what  he  and  the  other  early  Jewish 
Christians  were  slow  to  believe,  was  that  they 
were  to  be  admitted  to  the  Church  of  Christ 
without  iirst  becoming  Jews  (ch.  is  :  i).  —  As 
many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  have 
called.  Not  shall  call.  The  reference  is  not  to 
the  calling  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  acting  on  the 
individual  heart,  but  to  the  invitations  of  the 
0.   T.,  which  embrace    both  Jew  and  Gentile 

(isaiah  55  :  7  ;   56  :  6-8 ;   60  :  3,  5-8 :    Joel  2  :  32  ;    Micah  4  :  1,  2). 

That  this  is  the  meaning  is  evident  (1)  from  the 
tense  of  the  verb,  which  is  past,  not  future 
(nearly  equal  to  Latin  future  perfect ;  see 
Winer,  307 ;  ver.  21,  note) ;  (2)  from  the  word 
used  {nqoay.a'/.iouai),  which  is  never  used  in  the 
N.  T.  of  the  effectual  calling  of  the  individual 
by  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  the  word 
rendered  calling  in  Rom.  11  :  29 ;  Ephes.  4:4; 
2  Tim.  1 : 9 ;  2  Pet.  1 :  10  is  a  dtfEerent  one  {y.h]aic) ; 
(3)  from  the  context ;  the  ordinary  interpreta- 
tion makes  Peter  declare  that  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  to  all  those  who  actually  receive 
and  accept  its  influence,  which  not  only  limits 
the  promise,  but  makes  it  unmeaning. 

40.  And  with  many  other  words.  This 
language  implies  that  only  the  substance  of  the 
personal  direction  of  the  apostle  to  the  inquirers 
is  here  given.— Did  he  testify  and  exhort. 
Testify  as  a  witness  to  the  truth  of  the  promise 
of  God,  and  exhort  as  an  ambassador  from  God 


(2  Cor.  5 :  2o),  to  its  immediate  acceptance.  Gospel 
preaching  is  a' testimony  and  an  invitation. — 
Be  ye  saved.  Not,  Save  yourselves.  The  ori- 
ginal (<fui^»jrf)  is  in  the  passive  tense.  Our  Eng- 
lish version  neither  agrees  with  the  original  here, 
nor  with  the  current  teaching  of  Scripture  else- 
where (Ezek.  33  :  12 ;  Dan.  9  :  18  ;  Rom.  3  :  20  ;   Ephts.  2  :  8,  9 , 

2  Tim.  1 : 9;  Tit.  3:5). — Froui  this  crookcd  gen- 
eration. The  meaning  is,  both  from  the  evil 
influence  of  and  also  from  the  condemnation  pro- 
nounced against  the  Jewish  nation.  For  signifi- 
cance of  the  epithet  crooked  {ay.o>.i<ii),  here  ren- 
dered untowardy  see  Deut.  32  :  5 ;  PhU.  2  :  15 ; 
1  Pet.  2 :  18,  in  the  latter  passage  rendered/roward. 
41.  They  therefore  that  received  his 
word.  Accepted  it  as  true ;  they  testified  to 
their  acceptance  by  complying  immediately  with 


BAi•TIZI^&    IN    TILL   EAsT. 


the  external  and  visible  condition,  baptism. 
Gladly  is  wanting  in  the  best  manuscripts,  and  is 
omitted  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford.— Were  bap- 
tized. Immediately,  though  not  necessarily  on 
the  same  day.  The  3000  accepted  the  truth  at 
once,  but  time  may  have  been  taken,  necessary 
for  the  rite  of  baptism.  How  it  was  performed 
is  not  indicated  in  the  narrative.  We  certainly 
cannot  safely  say  that  there  was  not  time  to  bap- 
tize all  by  immersion,  for  what  time  was  taken 
for  the  baptism  we  are  not  told  ;  nor  that  there 
could  have  been  no  opportunity  for  immersion, 
for  there  were  abundant  pools  of  water  in  and 
about  Jerusalem,  in  some  of  which  bathing  was 


48 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  II. 


certainly  allowed  (john  5 : 4 ;  9 : 7),  and  whether  they 
could  have  been  made  available  by  the  disciples 
for  this  purpose  we  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
The  implication  of  the  narrative  is  certainly  that 
only  those  persons  were  at  this  time  baptized 
who  were  old  enough  to  accept,  understanding- 
ly,  the  word. — There  were  added  about 
3000  souls.  Unto  them  is  an  addition  by  the 
translators.  The  language  here  is  absolute,  as 
though  these  souls  first  found  their  true  life 
when  they  found  it  in  Jesus  Christ.  Comp.  ch. 
5  :  14;  11  :  2i.  Observe  (1)  that  these  converts 
were  received  into  the  church  at  once,  on  their 
profession  of  repentance  and  their  consent  to  re- 
ceive baptism,  without  waiting  for  instruction  in 
Christian  doctrine,  of  which  they  must  have 
been  almost  wholly  ignorant ;  (2)  that  they  were 
received  on  the  basis  of  personal  repentance  and 
acceptance  of  the  word,  as  converts  to  the  reli- 
gion of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  implied,  not  only 
by  the  course  of  the  narrative,  but  by  the  phrase- 
ology of  ver.  47,  The  Lord  added  such  as  were 
being  saved ;  (3)  it  is  not  impossible  that  the  apos- 
tles may  have  received  some  who  were  not  sav- 
ingly converted,  for  they  were  not  infallible  in 
their  spiritual  judgments  of  men  (chap.  8 :  13, 18-23). 
The  language  of  ver.  47  implies  that  they  were 
added  to  the  church  only  as  true  disciples,  and 
on  the  ground  of  their  personal  salvation,  but  not 
that  no  mistakes  were  made.  It  is  very  proba- 
ble that  some  of  these  new  converts  brought  into 
the  primitive  church  the  seeds  of  that  Judaizing 
doctrine  which  regarded  Christianity  as  only  a 
phase  of  Judaism,  and  required  circumcision  of 
all  Christian  converts,  and  which  afterward 
proved  so  hostile  to  the  purity  and  the  power  of 
the  early  church ;  (4)  it  is,  however,  clear  from 
the  next  verse  that  the  majority  of  these  con- 
verts were  humble  and  docile  recipients  of  the 
new  faith,  as  taught  by  the  apostles,  and  were 
steadfast  in  it. 

Note  on  the  ouTPOuRraG  of  the  Holt  Spirit 
AT  the  Pentecost.  (1.)  The  fact.  The  physical 
phenomena  which  accompanied  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  sound  as  of  wind  and  the  tongues 
as  of  fire,  are  testified  to  by  only  one  witness; 
whether  he  was  an  eye-witness  or  not  we  do  not 
know ;  his  description  of  the  phenomena  is  so 
brief  that  their  nature  is  a  matter  of  uncertainty, 
and  it  afEords  a  theme  for  curious  rather  than 
profitable  inquiry.  But  the  gift  of  tongues  is  so 
distinctly  described  in  1  Cor.,  ch.  14,  the  Pauline 
authorship  of  which  is  undoubted,  that  the  ex- 
istence of  such  a  phenomenon  in  the  early  church 
cannot  be  questioned,  though  its  nature  is  not 
and  cannot  be  clearly  known.  The  great  fact, 
however,  is  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  whose  influ- 
ence had  hitherto  been  chiefly  manifested  in  and 
through  special  individuals,  appointed  to  be  the 
inspired  leaders  of  Israel,  was  now  for  the  first 


time  bestowed  upon  all  men,  on  the  simple  con- 
ditions of  repentance  and  baptism  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  This  fact  is  abundantly  con- 
firmed by  the  following  considerations :  (a.)  It 
fulfills  the  promises  of  the  O.  T.  prophets  (tee 

ver.  39,  note  and  refs.)  and  of  JeSUS  Christ  (John  14  :  16-26; 

15 :  26 ;  16 :  13,  etc.).  (&.)  It  is  repeatedly  testified  to 
by  Luke  in  the  Book  of  Acts  (ch.  4  -.  31 ;  6  -.  3 ;  s  :  is ; 
10:45;  11:15,  etc.),  and  is  One  of  the  central  truths 
dwelt  upon  by  the  apostles  in  their  letters  to  the 
early  churches  (see  ver.  4,  note),  (c.)  It  is  demon- 
strated in  the  remarkable  change  wrought  in  the 
apostles,  especially  in  Peter.  Contrast  the  story 
of  his  denial  of  Christ  (Matt.  26 :  69-75)  with  his 
courage  and  willing  suffering  after  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Acts4: 13, i9;  5:29, 4i,  ptc).  {d.) 
It  is  paralleled  by  a  continuous  series  of  revivals, 
extending  from  the  day  of  Pentecost  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  the  spiritual  phenomena  of  which,  in  the 
new  and  devout  life  of  awakened  souls,  are  as  truly 
remarkable  as  those  of  Pentecost.  (3.)  Tfie  con- 
ditions of  the  gift.  The  disciples  were  expecting 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  believed  the 
promise  of  their  Lord,  and  waited  in  faith  for  its 
fulfillment.  They  were  united  in  zealous  hope 
and  in  prayer.  There  is  no  hint  at  this  time  of 
the  jealousies  and  strifes  which  at  other  times 

divided   them    (Matt.  20:21;   Mark  9:  33,  34;    Luke  22  ;  24). 

They  obeyed  unquestioning  the  command  of 
Christ  (ch.  1  •  4),  and  again  abandoning  their 
fishing,  which  they  had  resumed  after  Christ's 
death  (John  21  •  3),  continued  to  assemble  for  ten 
days  in  the  upper  chamber  at  Jerusalem,  with- 
out any  indication  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  prom- 
ise made  by  their  departed  Lord.  They  were 
united  in  patient,  persevering  prayer  for  the 
blessing.  For  illustration  of  these  conditions  see 
ch.  1  :  4,  8,  12-14 ;  3  : 1 ;  comp.  John  14  :  21-23. 
(3.)  The  results  of  the  gift.  On  Peter  and  the 
apostles,  a  power  of  utterance  accompanied  with 
the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  (1  Cor.  2:4;)  Thess. 
1:6);  on  the  people,  the  conversion  of  souls  in 
multitudes  ;  on  the  church,  steadfastness,  mutual 
sympathy  and  charity,  joy,  devoutness  of  spirit 
(verses  42-17 ;  Gal.  5  •  22, 23).  (4.)  The  apostoUc  meth- 
ods :  First,  a  prayer  meeting,  attended  by  those 
only  who  believed  in  and  hoped  for  the  fulfill- 
ment of  Christ's  promise ;  next,  a  sermon,  pre- 
senting to  the  multitude  simply,  but  with  direct 
personal  appeal,  a  crucified,  risen,  and  ascended 
Saviour  (i  cnr.  2:2);  then  a  meetmg  for  personal 
converse  with  inquirers,  then  the  immediate 
baptism  and  reception  into  the  church  of  all  who 
professed  repentance  and  were  willing  to  make 
public  confession  of  their  new  faith  by  baptism  ; 
finally,  definite  religious  instruction  in  the  truths 
of  Christianity  to  such  as  accepted  Jesus  Christ 
as  their  personal  Saviour  and  Lord.  These  facts, 
of  the  gift,  the  conditions  on  which  it  was  ob- 
tained, the  results  on  the  community  and  the 


Ch.  II.] 


THE  ACTS. 


49 


42  And '  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles' 
doctrine  and  lellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and 
in  prayers. 

43  And  fear  came  upon  every  soul :  and  many '  won- 
ders and  signs  were  done  by  the  apostles. 


44  And  all  that  believed  were  together,  and '  had  all 
things  common  ; 

45  And  sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and  "  part- 
ed them  to  all  men,  as  every  man  had  need. 


r  I  Z^y.  11:2;  Heb.  10  :  26 s  Mark  16:17 t  ch.  4  : ; 


.  u  Isa.  68  :  7 ;  2  Cor.  9:1,9;  1  John  3  :  17. 


church,  and  the  apostolic  methods  of  co-working 
with  the  Spirit  of  God,  are  recorded  as  an  exam- 
ple and  instruction  to  the  universal  church  of 
Christ. 

42.  The  following  verses,  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter,  describe  in  general  terms  the  condition 
of  the  church  in  this  first  phase  of  its  existence. 
The  duration  covered  is  not  indic;;ted,  but  could 
not  have  been  very  long,  for  persecution  soon 
ensued,  which  scattered  the  disciples  and  put  an 
end  to  the  temporary  community  of  goods,  and  to 
"favor  with  all  people." — They,  i.  e.,  the  new 
converts,  continued  steadfastly.  Their  new 
life  was  not  a  mere  transient  excitement,  but  a 
steadfast  purpose,  the  strength  of  which  was 
demonstrated  by  their  perseverance.  —  In  the 
apostles'  teaching ;  i.  e.,  in  the  acceptance  and 
maintenance  of  their  teaching  ;  they  were  docile 
scholars  in  the  newfaith. — And  in  felloAVship. 
The  original  {xocrcavlu)  signifies  literally  a  shar- 
ing in  common.  Here  it  probably  implies  both 
fellowship  in  spiritual  things,  a  participation 
with  each  other  in  Christian  sympathy  and  ex- 
perience, and  also  practical  charity — the  sharing 
of  goods  with  the  poor  indicated  by  ver.  45. — 
And  in  breaking  of  bread.  There  is  some 
doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  phrase.  I  think 
it  tolerably  clear  that  an  observance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  indicated,  because  (1)  in  ver.  46 
the  breaking  of  bread  appears  to  be  distinguished 
from  an  ordinary  meal ;  (3)  the  language  accords 
closely  with  that  employed  in  the  description  of 
the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  (Matt.  26 :  26 ; 

Mark  14  :  22  ;  Lake  22  :  19.     Comp.  24  :  35  ;  1  Cor.  11  :  23,  24)  ;    (3) 

and  with  that  elsewhere  employed  to  describe 
what  was  probably  the  Lord's  Supper  (Acts  20 : 7,  n ; 
I  Cor.  10: 16.). — And  in  prayers.  Probably  here 
social  gatherings  for  prayer,  not  merely  individ- 
ual prayers,  are  intended. 

43-45.  And  fear  came  upon  every  soul. 
Fear  in  the  sense  of  commingled  awe  and  rever- 
ence ;  a  fear  not  inconsistent  with  joy  (ver.  46). — 
And  many  wonders  and  signs  were  done 
by  the  apostles.  This  general  description  in- 
cludes the  miracles  described  more  in  detaU  in 
subsequent  chapters  (ch.  a  :  i-S;  6  :  12, 15,  le). — All 
that  believed  were  together.  Not  literally 
were  in  one  place.  No  ordinary  room,  obtainable 
in  Jerusalem,  would  have  contained  the  3,000. 
But  they  constituted  a  social  community  by 
themselves,  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  peo- 
ple, not  by  local  and  physical  barriers,  but  by 
their  own  mutual  sympathies. — And  had  all 


things  in  common ;  and  sold  their  posses- 
sions and  goods.  The  term  possessions  {y-Ti'i/xa) 
signities  property  acquired,  the  term  goods  {vna^- 
uc)  simply  that  which  belongs  to  one.  Their 
property,  whether  acquired  or  inherited,  waa 
held  subject  to  the  claims  of  Christian  charity. 
I  see  no  adequate  ground  for  Alford's  distinc- 
tion, who  interprets  2Jossessio)is  as  landed  prop- 
erty, and  goods  as  moveables.  But  lands  and 
houses,  as  well  as  moveable  goods,  were  sold 
(ch.  4 :  34). — And  parted  them  to  all.  Not 
to  all  men,  but  to  all  in  the  church. — As  every 
man  had  need.  This  surrender  of  property 
was  not  instantaneous  or  absolute ;  it  was  only 
as  need  appeared  in  the  church  that  such  sale  and 
distribution  took  place. 

Of  Communism  in  the  Early  Chtjech. — In 
respect  to  the  communism  described  in  the  early 
church  here  and  in  chaps.  4  :  33-34 ;  5  :  1-4,  the 
following  facts  should  be  noted  by  the  student : 
(1.)  The  disciples  did  not  sell  to  give  to  a  hierar- 
chy, but  to  the  poor,  and  as  the  poor  had  need. 
They  employed  the  apostles  only  as  almoners  of 
their  bounty,  and  the  apostles  early  declined  this 
oifice,  and  the  disciples  appointed  others  for  the 
purpose  (ch.  6 :  1-5).  There  is,  therefore,  in  this 
primitive  example  no  precedent  for  the  Romish 
endeavor  to  secure  from  its  adherents  the  gift  of 
their  property  to  the  church,  as  an  ecclesiastical 
organization.  (3.)  The  sale  and  gift  were  purely 
voluntary.  No  disciple  was  required,  as  a  con- 
dition of  joining  the  church,  to  surrender  his 
property  to  the  community ;  even  after  sale,  he 
was  free  to  give  little  or  much  as  he  chose  (ch. 
6 : 4).  There  is,  therefore,  in  the  apostolic  exam- 
ple no  warrant  for  the  modern  American  social- 
istic communities,  in  which  every  member  is  re- 
quired  to  surrender,  not  only  his  property,  but 
his  earnings,  to  the  common  stock.  For  brief 
account  of  these  communities,  see  Lyman  Ab- 
bott's Dictionary  of  Religious  Knoidedge,  art.  So- 
cialism. (3. )  The  community  was  bound  together 
by  sympathies,  not  by  rules  and  regulations ;  it 
did  not  at  any  time  prevent  the  disciples  from 
continuing  to  live  separately  in  individual  house- 
holds and  in  their  o^vn  houses  (ver.  46;  ch.  12: 12). 
It  did  not,  therefore,  disrupt  or  weaken  the  fam- 
ily. (4.)  It  was  confined  to  Jerusalem  and  to 
the  early  period  of  the  Christian  church,  at  a 
time  when  it  was  largely  composed  of  pilgrims 
temporarily  sojourning  at  Jerusalem,  and  de- 
pendent, according  to  the  custom  then,  and  even 
now  to  some  extent  prevailing  in  the  East,  on 


50 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IL 


46  And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the 
temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did 
eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 


47  Praising  God,  and  having  favour"  with  all  the 
people.  And"  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily 
such  as  should  be  saved. 


V  Luke  2  :  52 ;  Rom.  14 :  18  ....  w  chap,  6  :  14  ;  11  :  24. 


the  hospitalitj'  of  the  residents  there.  The  Chris- 
tian enthusiasm  simply  enlarged  this  hospitality, 
providing  for  the  poorer  pilgrims  out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  richer  disciples.  "No  trace  of 
its  existence  is  discoverable  anywhere  else ;  on 
the  contrary,  Paul  speaks  constantly  of  the  rich 
and  poor.  See  1  Tun.  6  :  17 ;  Gal.  2  :  10 ;  2  Cor. 
8  :  13,  15 ;  9  :  6,  7 ;  1  Cor.  16  :  2 ;  also,  James 
2  : 1-5;  4  :  lo." — {Alford.)  (5.)  Its  origin  may 
probably  be  looked  for  in  the  organization  of  the 
apostolic  band,  which,  during  Christ's  earthly 
life,  lived  in  voluntary  poverty,  and  had  a  com- 
mon treasury  (Matt.  I9  r  21  ;  Luke  6:11;  John  12:6;  13  ;  29). 

Naturally,  the  first  converts  attempted  to  adopt 
the  same  principle,  until  experience  demonstrated 
that  the  community  of  goods,  applicable  to  the 
email  and  itinerant  apostolate,  was  inapplicable 
to  the  large  and  increasing  Christian  brother- 
hood. (6.)  For,  the  attempt  to  organize  the 
Christian  church  on  this  basis  and  to  have  all 
things  in  common,  failed  and  was  soon  aban- 
doned. It  led  to  disputes  (ch.  6  :  i),  was  never 
extended  beyond  Jerusalem,  nor  even  perma- 
nently maintained  there  (see  references  above),  and  its 
temporary  adoption  there  perhaps  accounts  for 
the  poverty  of  that  church  (ch.  ii :  29, 30 :  24 :  n ;  Rom. 

15  :  26,  26  ;  1  Cor.  16  :  1-3  ;  with  2  Cor.,  ch.  8,  9).      (7.)  There  iS 

not  in  the  N.  T.  any  warrant  for  the  belief  that 
Buch  communism  as  was  practised  temporarily  in 
the  church  at  Jerusalem,  was  directed  by  God, 
or  is  recorded  as  an  example  for  us.  It  is  not  said 
to  have  been  counselled  by  the  apostles;  their 
writings  nowhere  commend  it ;  and  while  the  in- 
epired  teachings  of  the  N.  T.  writers  are  author- 
itative, there  is  no  warrant  in  Scripture  for  the 
doctrine  that  the  example  of  the  early  church  is 
an  authority  for  later  ages.  Christ  is  our  only 
example.  (8.)  The  principle  underlying  Christian 
communism,  viz.,  that  all  possessing  goods  and 
industries  are  to  be  consecrated  to  God  in  the 
service  of  humanity,  is  a  fundamental  Christian 
principle  (Matt.  26 :  14-30 ;  Luke  13 : 6-9),  but  neither  ex- 
perience nor  Scripture  indicates  that  selling  all 
and  dividing  to  the  poor,  is  the  method  best  cal- 
culated to  serve  humanity,  or  even  the  poor. 

46, 47.  And  they,  persevering  daily  with 
one  accord.  On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
(iif^ut^v^iaSov),  rendered  owe  accord,  see  ch.  1  :  14 
and  note. — In  the  Temple.  Thither  they  went 
up  to  pray  (ch.  3:i),  and  to  teach,  the  latter  in 
Solomon's  porch  (ch.  3:  ii;  s;  21).  On  the  struc- 
ture of  the  Temple  and  its  adaptation  to  the 
purposes  of  religious  teaching,  see  John  2  :  13-17, 
notes. — And  breaking  bread  from  house  to 


house.  Or,  in  the  house,  i.  e.,  in  private.  The 
original  is  capable  of  either  interpretation.  The 
essential  fact  is,  that  while  they  continued  at  this 
time  in  the  observance  of  the  Jewish  forms  of 
worship,  they  added  gatherings  for  Christian 
worship  in  private  houses.  By  "breaking  bread," 
the  observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  probably 
intended.  See  ver.  42,  note. — They  did  eat  their 
meat  with  gladness.  A  very  simple  meal  may 
be  joyous. — And  singleness  of  heart.  Their 
simplicity,  in  contrast  with  the  pride  and  rivalries 
of  the  Pharisaic  feasts  (Luke  14 : 7 ;  Matt.  23 : 6),  and 
the  self-indulgent  luxury  of  the  later  feasts  of 
the  Christian  church  (1  Cor.  11  •  20, 21),  was  in  part  the 
secret  of  their  joy.  "  Singleness  of  heart  accom- 
panied the  gladness  ;  and  in  point  of  fact,  want- 
ing that  companion,  the  gladness  itself  would 
soon  disappear." — (Arnot.)  The  hint  is  practi- 
cally valuable  in  these  days  when  irrational  lux- 
ury and  pride  and  rivalry  destroy  the  true  glad- 
ness of  social  life. — Praising  God  and  hav- 
ing favor  with  all  the  people.  The  people  are 
here  in  contrast  with  the  Jewish  ecclesiastics. 
See  chap,  4  : 1-4.  As  yet,  however,  persecution 
had  not  arisen  ;  the  beauty  of  holiness  was  per- 
ceived and  admired  by  the  people ;  its  severe  re- 
quirements and  condemnation  of  popular  sins 
was  not  at  first  felt.  The  spark  was  allowed  to 
grow  into  a  flame  before  the  blast  of  persecu- 
tion ;  then  the  storm  did  but  increase  and  extend 
the  flame  (ch.  8  •  4). — And  the  Lord  added.  Not, 
to  the  church,  which  words  are  wanting  in  the  best 
MSS. ;  but,  to  himself  (ch.  6:i6;  11:24). — Such  as 
were  being  saved.  Not  such  as  had  been  saved, 
which  would  require  the  past  tense,  nor  such  as 
certainly  would  he  saved,  which  would  require  the 
future,  but  such  as  were  in  the  way  of  salvation.  It  is 
not  necessarily  implied  that  all  were  saved,  some 
self-deceived  and  apostates  might  be  among  them ; 
but  it  is  implied  that  only  those  were  accepted  in 
the  church  who  themselves  professed  to  accept 
salvation  through  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Saviour. 
Conversion  was  a  condition  of  church  member- 
ship. Observe  that  they  did  not  add  themselves, 
and  were  not  added  by  the  church  or  the  apos- 
tles, but  by  the  Lord  (1  cor.  3 : 5-7).  While  this  brief 
description  (vers.  41-47)  of  the  first  experience  of 
the  primitive  church  affords  but  little  light  on 
the  methods  of  church  organization,  it  indicates 
very  clearly  the  elements  of  spiritual  life  which 
gave  the  early  church  its  power.  It  received 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  labored  directly  for 
the  conversion  of  souls,  received  converts  on 
their  profession  of  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ, 


Ch.  III.] 


THE  ACTS. 


51 


CHAPTER    III. 

NOW  Peter  and  John  went  up  together  into  the 
temple  at"  the  hour  of  prayer,  being  the  ninth 
hour. 

2  And  a  certain  man,  lame  from  his  mother's  womb, 
was  carried,  whom  they  laid  daily  at  the  gate  J  of  the 


temple  which  is  called  Beautiful,  to  ask  alms  of  them 
that  entered  into  the  temple  • 

3  Who,  seeing  Peter  and  John  about  to  go  into  the 
temple,  asked  an  alms. 

4  And  Peter,  fastening  his  eyes  upon  him,  with  John, 
said.  Look  on  us. 


X  Ps.  65  :  17  ;  Dan.  6:10 y  John  9  ;  8. 


who  entered  the  church  as  learners,  whose  ex- 
perience was  characterized  by  mutual  sympathy, 
generous  charity,  social  life,  great  joyousness, 
and  whose  services  were  simple,  informal,  non- 
ritualistic,  and  genuinely  devout,  being  held  in 
private  houses,  and  consisting  of  social  meals,  ac- 
companied by  the  memorial  supper  of  the  Lord, 
of  instruction  afforded  by  the  apostles,  of  pray- 
er, of  singing,  and  of  mutual  fellowship  in  Chris- 
tian experience. 


Ch.  3  : 1-11.    THE  FIRST  APOSTOLIC  MIRACLE.— The 

VAIHE     OF    A    LOOK     ILLUSTRATED. — Two     PHASES    OP 
FAITH  EXEMPLIFIED. — In  THE  NAME  OF  JeSUS   ChBIST. 

—The  healing  poweb  op  Cheist  is  the  gloky  op 
God. 

Date  A.  D.  30.  Nothing  indicates  the  exact 
time.  It  must  have  been  soon  after  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  but  probably  not  on  that  day.  It  is 
the  first  miracle  definitely  described  as  performed 
by  an  apostle,  though  that  they  had  wrought 
miracles  during  Christ's  life  is  implied  by  Matt. 
10  :  8.  Comp.  Luke  10  :  17.  On  one  occasion 
they  attempted  and  failed  (Mark  9 :  is),  but  for 
their  failure  were  rebuked  by  Christ,  who  attrib- 
uted it  to  their  spiritual  deficiency  (Mark  9 :  19, 28, 29). 
The  miracle  here  is  recorded  for  the  sake  of  re- 
sults to  which  it  leads — the  address  to  the  peo- 
ple founded  on  it  (vers.  12-26),  the  arrest  of  the 
apostles,  and  their  first  trial  before  the  Sanhe- 
drim (ch.  4 : 1-22),  and  the  effect  in  strengthening 
the  faith  and  courage  of  the  early  church  (4: 2.3-31). 

1-3.  Peter  and  John  went  up  together. 
The  personal  friendship  of  these  two  disciples  is 
illustrated  by  many  incidents  (Luke  5 : 1-11 ;  john  13 :  23, 
24 ;  18 :  15, 16 ;  21 : 7). — At  thc  hour  of  prayer,  the 
ninth  hour.  Thatis,  3p.  m.  There  were  two 
fixed  hours  for  sacrifice  and  prayer — the  morn- 
ing hour  9  A.  M.,  and  the  evening  hour  3  p.  m. 
(Eiod.  29 :  4i).  Thcsc,  with  One  at  noon,  were  ob- 
served as  hours  of  prayers  by  the  devout  Jews, 
even  when  absent  from  Jerusalem  and  the  Tem- 
ple (Ps.  65 ;  17 ;  Dan.  6 :  lo).  Similar  hours  of  prayer 
are  established  by  ecclesiastical  laws  among  the 
Mohammedans  and  the  Roman  Catholic  priest- 
hood. The  later  Jews  were  exacting  in  the  ob- 
servance of  these  occasions  of  prayer,  continuing 
them  -scrupulously  during  Pompey's  siege  of 
Jerusalem  (josephus'  Ant.  u :  4, 3).  The  apostles  went 
up,  not  to  teach  {Calvi7i),  nor  as  a  m.atter  of 
expediency  (Chrysostom),  nor  to  commemorate 


Christ's  perfect  sacrifice  by  observing  the  typical 
sacrifice  of  the  Temple  {Hackett),  but  because 
they  were  still  Jews  as  well  as  Christians,  and 
had  not  yet  learned  the  full  meaning  of  Christ's 
declaration  that  he  had  fulfilled  the  law,  and  that 
time  and  place  are  unimportant  in  worship  (Matt. 
5:17;  John  4 :  21-24).  The  maintenance  of  special 
hours  of  prayer,  borrowed  from  the  Jews,  was 
continued  in  the  Christian  church  and  increased 
to  seven  daUy  occasions  ;  these  are  still  observed, 
in  theory,  if  not  in  practice,  by  the  Romish  clergy. 
The  literal  observance  of  the  entire  prescribed 
service  would  occupy  nearly  the  entire  twenty- 
four  hours. — Lame  from  his  mother's  womb. 
And  he  was  now  over  forty  years  of  age  (ch.  4 :  22). 
The  nature  of  the  lameness,  a  congenital  weak- 
ness of  the  feet  and  ankles,  is  indicated  by  ver.  7. 
— Was  being  carried.  That  is,  as  Peter  and 
John  entered  the  Temple,  the  cripple  was  being 
carried  by  friends  to  his  accustomed  place. — At 
the  gate  of  the  Temple  which  is  called 
Beautiful.  What  gate  is  here  indicated  is  not 
known.  Some  have  identified  it  with  the  famous 
one  which  gave  admission  from  the  outer  court 
of  the  Gentiles  into  the  court  of  the  women. 
But  from  the  fact,  that  after  the  healing,  the  peo- 
ple ran  together  to  them  in  Solomon's  porch  (ver.  11), 
which  was  without  the  Temple  proper,  it  appears 
more  likely  that  one  of  the  exterior  gates,  lead- 
ing from  the  city  without  to  the  courts  within,  is 
intended.  There  were  two  gates  on  the  south 
side  of  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  leading  from 
Jerusalem  into  the  Stoa  Basilica  or  Solomon's 
Porch. — To  ask  an  alms.  The  giving  of  alms 
was  a  sacred  duty  insisted  on  stienuously  in  the 
law,  and  in  connection  with  the  religious  offer- 
ings at  the  Temple  (Deut.  U  :  28,  29  ;  15  :  7,  11  ;  26  :  12,  13). 

4,  5.  Said,  Look  on  us.  Not  because  he 
"  wished  to  see  his  countenance,  in  order  to  judge 
whether  he  was  deserving  of  kindness"  {Meyer\ 
but  simply  to  fix  his  attention,  and  awaken,  even 
though  vaguely,  that  spirit  of  the  expectation 
and  the  obedience  of  faith,  without  which  the 
cure  could  not  have  been  wrought.  Comp.  with 
this  look  of  the  lame  man  that  of  the  poisoned 
Israelite,  in  Numb.  21  :  8  ;  both  illustrate  Isaiah 
4.5  :  22.  Quarles  interprets  the  two  looks  of 
Peter  and  the  lame  man :  "  When  thou  seest 
misery  in  thy  brother's  face,  let  him  see  mercy 
in  thine  eye." — Expecting  to  receive  some- 
thing.   This  expectation  is  generally  a  condi- 


52 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  III. 


5  And  he  gave  heed  unto  them,  expecting  to  receive 
something  of  them. 

6  Then  Peter  said,  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none  •  but 
such  as  I  have  give  1  thee:  In'  the  name  ot  Jesus 
Christ  of  Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk. 

7  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted  him 
up  :  and  immediately  his  feet  and  ancle  bones  received 
strength. 

8  And  he,  leaping  "  up,  stood,  and  walked,  and  en- 
tered with  them  into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping, 
and  praising  God. 


9  And  all  the  people  saw  him  walking  and  praising 
God: 

10  And  they  knew  that  it  was  he  which  sat  for  alms 
at  the  Beautiful  gate  of  the  temple :  and  they  were 
filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at  that  which  had 
happened  unto  him. 

11  And,  as  the  lame  man  which  was  healed  held  Pe- 
ter and  John,  all  the  people  ran  together  unto  them,  in 
the  porch  i"  tliat  is  called  SolomoiTs,  greatly  wonder- 
ing. 


z  ch.  4 :  10 a  Isa.  36  : 


.b  ch.  5:12;  John  10  : ! 


tion  of  receiving  (Matt,  t  :  i,  s),  but  the  gift  exceeds 
the  expectation  (Ephes.  3 :  20),  as  it  did  here.  Olv 
serve  the  illustration  of  two  phases  of  faith  ;  in 
the  apostle,  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  benefit  to 
be  conferred,  and  of  the  divine  power  of  him  by 
whom  it  would  be  conferred  ;  in  the  lame  man, 
only  a  confidence  in  the  charity  of  the  two  un- 
known, and  a  vague  hope  of  something,  he  knew 
not  what.  But  there  was  faith  in  both,  in  each 
according  to  the  measure  of  knowledge. 

6.  Silver  and  gold  is  not  to  me.  Not,  I 
have  none  with  me  now,  nor  /  have  none  to  give  to 
thee,  nor,  literally,  /  have  none,  for  though  Peter 
had  left  all  to  follow  Christ  (Matt.  19 :  27),  he  was 
not  a  mendicant ;  but,  Silver  and  gold  is  not  for  me 
to  give,  i.  e.,  it  is  not  my  means  for  doing  good. 
He  speaks  not  for  himself  only,  but  also  for  John. 
—But  what  J  have,  that  give  I  to  thee. 
In  a  sense  every  disciple  can  say  this.  The 
moneyless  can  show  mercy ;  the  poorest  can  yet 
give  to  the  poor .  sympathy  and  consideration 
(ps.  41  :  1;  Prov.  29 :  t).— In  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  the  Nazartaie.  Speaking  for  him  and 
by  his  authority.  Contrast  the  miracles  of  Christ 
performed  never  in  the  name  of  another,  but 

with  an  "  I  say  unto  thee  "  (Luke  5  :  24  ;  7  :  U ;  8  :  64,  etc.). 

Why  does  he  add  the  Nazarene?  He  adopts  joy- 
fully the  appellation  given  in  derision  (Matt.  2 :  23; 
John  1 :  46),  that  he  may  share  the  obloquy  of  his 
Master  and  honor  even  his  dishonored  title. 

7,  8.  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand 
and  lifted  him  up.  Not  so  much  to  strengthen 
his  limbs  as  his  faith. — And  immediately  his 
feet  and  ankle- bones  received  strength. 
Luke,  who  is  a  physician,  intimates  the  nature 
of  the  disease,  as  well  as  the  suddenness  and  rad- 
icalness  of  the  cure. — He  leaping  up,  stood, 
and  walked.  He  leaped  or  sprang  up  from 
his  sitting  posture,  stood  for  a  moment  to  real- 
ize his  new  power,  then  walked,  another  evidence 
of  the  miracle,  for  walking  is  an  acquired  art,  and 
he  had  never  learned. — And  entered  Avith 
them  into  the  Temple,  walking,  and  leap- 
ing, and  praising  God.  This  fact,  coupled 
with  ver.  11,  which  indicates  what  part  of  the  Tem- 
ple they  entered  together,  implies  that  the  Beauti- 
ful gate  was  one  exterior  to  the  whole  structure. 
His  walking  and  leaping  was  in  the  exuberance 
of  his  new-found  powers ;  his  praising  God  either 


indicates  that  he  possessed  a  truly  devout  spirit, 
or  else,  merely  the  habit  of  the  orientals,  who, 
much  more  than  the  Anglo-Saxon,  attribute  all 
remarkable  events  to  God. 

9-11.  All  the  people.  The  miracle  was 
publicly  performed,  and  publicly  recognized  and 
appreciated.  "  They  who  have  seen  our  infirm- 
ities should  attest  our  change." — And  they 
recognized.  Literally,  Knew  perfectly  {iniyrmc 
xco).  He  was  a  well-known  mendicant.  There 
was  no  opportunity  to  question  his  identity,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  blind  beggar  (john  9 : 9). — And 
they  were  filled  with  wonder.  In  feeling ; 
surprise  intermingled  with  awe. — And  amaze- 
ment. In  the  understanding.  They  were  dazed 
by  the  event. — At  that  which  had  happened 
unto  him.  They  saw  him  leaping  and  walking, 
knew  him  to  be  the  lame  man,  but  knew  not  the 
circumstance  of  his  cure,  and  were  amazed  and 
awe-struck,  wondering  what  had  occurred. — 
And  as  he  held  Peter  and  John.  This  read- 
ing is  better  than  that  of  the  Received  Text, 
though  the  meaning  is  the  same.  He  held  them, 
not  for  support,  because  he  was  ignorant  how  to 
walk,  nor  for  fear,  lest  the  cure  was  not  perma- 
nent and  he  should  suffer  relapse  if  he  lost  them, 
but  from  joy  and  gratitude. — In  the  porch 
that  is  called  Solomon's.  This  porch,  600 
feet  in  length  and  75  in  width,  overhung  the 
south  wall  of  Jerusalem  ;  it  was  open  toward 
the  Temple,  but  closed  by  a  wall  toward  the 
country.  For  illustration,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  257 ; 
for  description,  John  3  :  13-17,  notes. 

Ch.  3  :  12-26.  PETER'S  ADDRESS  TO  THE  PEOPLE. 
The  power  of  the  apostles  :  the  power  op  faith 
(12,  16).— The  sin  of  Israel:  the  rejection  op  the 
Mespiah  (13-1.5).— Ignorance  a  palliation  but  not 
an  excuse  for  sin  (ver.  17  with  2 :  23).— Even  the 

WICKED    FULFILL    THE    DTVINB    PURPOSES  (ver.    18). — 

The  fruits  op  repentance  :    new  spiritual  lipb 

AND  THE  spiritual  RECEPTION   OF    ChRIST   (19,  20).— 

The  hope  op  the  church:  the  second  coming  op 
Christ  (21).— The  world's  sin:  heedlessness  op 
Christ  (22,  23).— The  punishment  op  that  sin  :  soul 

DESTRUCTION  (23).— ThE  MISSION  OF  CHRIST  I  TO  TURN 
MEN  PROM  THE  WAT  OP  SIN  (26). 

There  are  two  radically  different  interpreta- 
tions of  this  address.  One  regards  Peter  as 
speaking  throughout  of  the  present  dispensation. 


Ch.  Ill] 


THE  ACTS. 


53 


12  And  when  Peter  saw  zV,  he  answered  unto  the 
people.  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why  marvel  ye  at  this?  or 
why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us.  as  though  by  our  own 
power >=  or  holiness  we  had  made  this  man  to  walk? 


cob 


13  The  God''  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Ja- 
b,  the  God  of  our  fathers,"  hath  glorified '  his  Son  Je- 


sus ;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and  denied  him  e  in  the  pres- 
ence ot  Pilate,  when  he  *"  was  determined  to  let  Aim  go. 

14  But  ye  denied  the  Holy  One'  and  the  Just,'  and 
desired  a  murderer  to  be  granted  unto  you  ; 

15  And  killed  the   Prince  of  life,  whom  God   hath 
raised''  from  the  dead;  whereof  we'  are  witnesses. 


c2Cor.  3:6....d  .Mivtt.  21i  :  32....ech.  6  ;  30,  31. ..  .f  John  17  ;  1 ;  Ejihes.  1  :  20  22;  Phil.  2:9  11  :  Heb.  2  :  9  ;  Rev.  1  :  6,  18.. .  .g  John  19: 15  ... 
h  .Miiu.  27  :  17-25:  Luke  23  :  16  23.... i  Ps.  16  :  lOj  Luke  1  :  35....J  ch.  1  :  iJ ;  22:  14.... k  Mall.  28  :  2-6;  Ephes.  1  :  20. . .  1  ch.  2  :  32. 


According  to  this  view,  "times  of  refreshing" 
(ver.  19)  are  seasons  of  sjjiritual  refreshment  com- 
ing to  the  individual  soul ;  the  promise  "  he 
shall  send  Jesus"  (ver.  20)  is  fulfilled  in  Christ's 
spiritual  presence  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  or 
in  his  presence  in  the  world,  in  his  church,  and 
his  Gospel ;  "  until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all 
things  "  (ver.  21)  is  equivalent  to  "  until  the  resti- 
tution or  restoralion  which  the  Gospel  is  bring- 
ing about  has  been  accomplished,"  The  other 
Interpretation  regards  Peter  in  this  address  as  a 
prophet,  and  as  referring  to  the  second  coming 
of  the  Lord,  in  glory  and  power,  to  establish  his 
kingdom  upon  the  earth.  The  student  will  find 
the  former  view  in  Barnes's  notes,  the  latter  in 
Alford.  For  reasons  stated  in  the  notes,  I  be- 
lieve that  neither  interpretation  is  wholly  true  ; 
but  that  in  part  of  his  address  Peter  refers  to  the 
present  dispensation,  and  in  part  to  the  future 
coming  of  Christ.  There  is  a  contrast  between 
this  and  Peter's  former  speech  (ch.  2 :  14-36). 
There  he  appealed  to  the  conscience  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  the  crucifixion  of  their  King,  which  is 
past ;  in  the  present  address  he  appeals  rather  to 
the  hopes  of  the  people,  and  to  the  coronation  of 
their  King,  which  is  in  the  future.  That  ad- 
dress, however,  is  completed ;  this  one  is  ab- 
ruptly broken  ofE  by  the  arrest  of  the  speaker 

(ch.  4  :  1). 

12.  And  Peter  seeing  (the  concourse  of  the 
people  described  in  the  previous  verse),  answer- 
ed unto  the  people.  To  their  looks  of  inquiry 
and  amazement.  The  word  a/jsjwerfcZ  does  not  imply 
any  previous  questioning ;  it  is  commonly  used 
in  the  N.  T.  in  describing  the  commencement  of 
an  address  (Matt.  11  :  25;  22 :  i;  Luke  7  :  22). — Why 
marvel  ye  at  this?  That  is,  at  the  man  who 
had  been  cured,  and  who  was  holding  to  the 
apostles  to  express  his  gratitude  to  them. — Or 
why  on  us  gaze  so  intently?  The  us,  by 
its  position  in  the  sentence,  as  well  as  by  the 
context,  is  made  emphatic.  Peter  endeavors  to 
turn  the  curiosity  and  interest  in  himself  mani- 
fested by  the  staring  of  the  crowd,  to  good  ac- 
count to  their  spiritual  benefit.  Contrast  Pe- 
ter's course  here,  in  turning  attention  from  him- 
self, with  Christ's  course  in  Luke  4  :  16-32,  when 
all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him,  in  accepting  and 
concentrating  this  attention  upon  himself.  One 
was  the  herald,  the  other  the  King. — As  though 
by  our  own  power  or  piety  we  had  made 
this  man  to  walk.    The  apostle  disowns  both 


any  peculiar  prerogative  of  working  miracles 
and  any  peculiar  privilege  of  access  to  God,  any 
eflSeacy  of  prayer  above  that  of  a  faith  which 
may  be  exercised  by  any  disciple. 

13.  The  God  of  Abraham  *  *  *  the 
God  of  our  fathers.  "  See  how  assiduously 
he  thrusts  himself  upon  the  fathers  of  old,  lest 
he  should  appear  to  be  introducing  a  new  doc- 
trine."— (Chrysostom.)  See,  too,  how  he  ranks 
himself  with  his  hearers  as  an  Israelite,  by  the 
I^hrase  "omj*  fathers,"  here  and  in  ver.  25. — 
Hath  glorified  his  servant  Jesus.  Not 
Son  ;  the  word  is  the  same  rendered  servant  in 
chap.  4  :  25  (tiuIc,  not  fiio'c).  It  is  used  in  refer- 
ence to  Christ  by  Isaiah  (chap.  42:i,Septuagint),  and 
is  interpreted  by  Heb.  10  :  7.  See  note  on  Acts 
4  :  27.  God  had  glorified  Jesus  by  the  miracles 
wrought  through  him  during  his  earthly  life 
(2 :  22),  by  his  resurrection  and  ascension,  by  the 
spiritual  blessings  already  conferred  through 
him  (2 :  24, 33),  and  now  by  this  miracle  wrought 
in  Christ's  name.  The  latter  is  the  immediate 
reference  here.  By  this  miracle,  Peter  says,  God 
glorifies  not  us,  but  him  in  whose  name  it  was 
wrought  (ver.  6). — W  hom  ye  delivered  up. 
As  a  nation,  through  their  constituted  rulers, 
the  Jewish  people  delivered  Jesus  over  to  PUate, 
the  Roman  governor,  to  be  sentenced. — And 
denied  him  to  the  face  of  Pilate.  Or,  as 
in  our  English  version,  i?i  the  presence  of  Pilate; 
either  rendering  is  admissible.  Denied  is  here, 
not  merely,  denied  that  he  was  their  Messiah  and 
their  King,  though  this  is  true  (john  19 :  15),  and  is 
included  in  the  statement,  but,  rejected  him 
wholly,  his  claim,  his  authority,  his  salvation,  his 
lordship,  invoking  his  blood  on  their  own  heads 
(Matt.  27 :  25). — When  he  (Pilate)  had  adjudged 
to  release  him.  Not,  as  in  our  English  ver- 
sion, was  determined,  which  indicates  only  a  men- 
tal purpose,  but  had  adjudged  him  innocent  and 
decreed  officially  his  release.  Pilate  did  so  ad- 
judge, and  retracted  his  decision  and  permitted 
the  crucifixion,  only  in  obedience  to  the  clamor 
of  the  mob  and  the  threats  of  the  priests  (Luke 

23  :  14,  16  ;  Johu  19  :  4  ;  Matt.  27  :  24  ;  Mark  15  :  15). 

14, 15.  But  ye  rejected  the  pure  and  just. 

The  former  conveys  the  idea  of  moral  purity 
within,  the  latter  uprightness  in  external  life. 
Jesus  was  in  heart-life  sinless,  and  he  had  com- 
mitted no  overt  act  which  contravened  the  law  of 
the  land.  He  was  both  unjustl//  and  illegalhj  put 
to  death. — And  desired  a  murderer  to  be 


54 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  III. 


i6  And  his  name,  through  faith  in  his  name,  hath 
made  this  man  strong,  whom  ye  see  and  know  ;  yea, 
the  faith  which  is  by  him  hath  given  him  this  perfect 
soundness  in  the  presence  of  you  all. 

17  And  now,  brethren,  I  wot  that  through  ignorance  ™ 
ye  did  zV,  as  did  also  your  rulers. 


18  But  those  things,"  which  God  before  had  shewed 
by  the  mouth  of  aU  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should 
suffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled. 

19  Repent  °  ye  therefore,  and  be  converted,^  that  your 
sins  may  be  blotted  1  out,  when  the  times  of  refreshing  ■• 
shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  ; 


Luke  23:  34:   John  16  :  3j    1  Cor.  2  :8....n  ch.  26  :  22,23;    Luke  24:44....o  ch.  2  :  38 
r  Jer.  31  :  23-25  j  Zeph.  3  :  14-20;  Rev.  21  : 


.p  Isa.  1  :  16-20 ;  Joel  3  :  13 q  Isa.  43  :  25. 


granted  unto  you.  Barabbas  (Lnke  23 :  16-19). — 
And  killed  the  originator  of  life.  The  word 
prince  ("^/i(y«c)  is  literally  leader,  then  the  pro- 
genitor of  a  race,  then  the  originator,  the  one  from 
whom  anything,  whether  good  or  bad,  proceeds. 
This  appears  to  be  its  sense  here  and  in  Heb.  2  :  10, 
where  it  is  rendered  '■^captain  of  our  salvation." 
Comp.  Heb.  12  :  2,  "author  of  faith."  Christ 
is  the  author  of  life,  as  he  is  also  the  leader  into 
life  eternal,  being  the  first-fruits  of  them  that 
rose  from  the  dead  (1  Cor.  15 :  23).— Of  whom  we 
are  Avitnesses.  Not  merely  whereof,  as  in  our 
English  version.  The  apostles  were  witnesses  to 
Christ,  his  character,  his  life,  his  passion,  and 
his  resurrection.  The  latter  is  included  in,  but 
does  not  include  all  of,  the  apostolic  testimony. 
Alford  notices  the  striking  antithesis  in  this  sen- 
tence ;  the  pure  and  just  in  contrast  with  a  mur- 
derer, and  the  author  of  life  with  ye  killed, 

10.  And  by  the  faith  of  his  name,  him 
whom  ye  see  (healed)  and  know  (to  have 
been  a  cripple),  his  (Christ's)  name  hath 
made  strong. — Yea,  the  faith  which  is 
through  him  (i.  e.  given  through  Christ  by  God) 
hath  given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in 
the  presence  of  you  all.  The  apostle  begins 
the  first  sentence,  breaks  it  off,  leaving  it  incom- 
plete, and  begins  again,  thus  emphasizing  the 
potency  of  Christ's  name.  In  the  second  sen- 
tence, he  adds  that  this  faith  is  itself  the  gift  of 
God,  by  whose  mercy  and  love,  uncaused  and  un- 
conditional, this  cure  has  been  wrought.  It 
seems  to  me  clear  that  he  speaks  botli  of  the 
faith  of  the  apostles  who  wrought  the  cure  and 
of  the  faith  in  the  man  cured,  who  could  not 
have  been  healed  tf  he  had  not  exercised  suffi- 
cient faith  to  attempt  obedience  to  the  apostolic 
direction,  "Rise  up  and  walk." 

17,  18.  And  now,  brethren.  The  appel- 
lation brethren  softens  the  address,  and  reminds 
the  hearers  that,  in  nationality  and  religious  faith, 
he  is  one  with  them. — 1  know  that  because 
of  ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  also  your  rulers. 
Undoubtedly  ignorance  of  different  degrees  in 
different  persons ;  the  ignorance  of  Caiaphas  and 
of  the  Roman  soldiery  was  not  the  same ;  but 
not  even  Caiaphas,  though  he  knew  that  Jesus 
wrought  miracles,  realized  his  full  character  and 
mission.  Of  all  that  participated  in  the  crucifix- 
ion of  our  Lord,  Judas  is  perhaps  the  only  one 
who  cannot  be  said  to  have  done  so  in  ignorance 
of  what  he  was  doing.     But  observe,  though 


that  ignorance  is  a  palliatioii,  it  is  not  an  excuse 
for  the  crime.  The  hands  that  slew  him  were 
wicked  hands  (ch.  2  :  23)  ;  for  the  people  knew 
enough  of  Christ's  character  to  be  under  obliga- 
tion to  inquire  further  and  learn  more.  The 
next  verse,  referring  to  the  prophets,  with  which 
they  were  or  ought  to  have  been  familiar,  en- 
forces this  truth.  Comp.  2  Cor,  3  :  14, 15  ;  1  Tim. 
1  :  13. — But  God,  w^hat  things  he  had  be- 
fore announced  by  the  mouth  of  all  his 
prophets,  that  the  Messiah  should  suffer, 
hath  thus  fulfilled.  The  declaration  is  exactly 
parallel  to  that  of  ch.  2  :  23  ;  the  wicked  hands, 
in  crucifying,  did  but  fulfill,  not  only  the  counsel 
and  foreknowledge  of  God,  but  his  declared 
word.  Comp.  also  Luke  2i  :  26.  All  his  prophets 
is  not  to  be  taken  literally,  for  though  all  the 
prophets  foretold  the  days  of  the  Messiah,  they 
did  not  all  foretell  his  passion  and  death.  Peter 
speaks  of  them  all  as  one  body  and  actuated  by 
o)ie  spirit ;  and  as  a  body,  their  testimony  is  con- 
current and  harmonious,  in  pointing  to  a  Messiah 
suffering,  and  triumphing  in  and  by  suffering. 
See  Numb.  21 : 9,  with  John  3 :  14, 15  ;  Ps.  22  :  IG  ; 
Isaiah,  ch.  53  ;  Dan.  9  :  26 ;  Zech.  11  :  13. 

19.  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be  con- 
verted. On  the  meaning  of  the  word  repent,  see 
ch.  2 ;  38,  Matt.  3  : 2,  notes ;  on  the  meaning  of  the 
words  be  converted,  see  Matt.  18  : 3,  note.  The  for- 
mer indicates  a  change  of  aim  and  purpose,  the 
latter  a  consequent  change  of  direction  and 
course  in  life,  and  both,  changes  wrought  by,  not 
on,  the  individuaL — Unto  the  blotting  out 
of  your  sins.  The  first  effect  of  repentance  is 
that  past  sins  are  erased  from  the  book  of  God's 
remembrance.  Comp.  Ps.  51  :  9 ;  Isaiah  1  :  18 ; 
Jer.  31  :  34  ;  Micah  7  :  19.— So  that  there  may 
come  seasons  of  reviving  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord.  The  second  effect  of  re- 
pentance, and  in  order  of  time  following  the  par- 
don of  sin,  and  dependent  upon  it.  The  meaning 
of  the  promise  I  take  to  be  primarily,  seasons,  to 
the  individual,  of  spiritual  revival,  i.  e.,  the  be- 
stowal of  new  life,  of  which  God  is  the  author, 
and  which  are  always  accompanied  by  a  peculiar 
consciousness  of  his  presence  ;  and  secondarily, 
similar  seasons  of  reviving  to  the  church  or  the 
community,  but  always  on  the  same  conditions, 
viz.,  repentance  and  a  change  of  life,  and  always 
preceded  by  a  free  forgiveness  through  Jesus 
Christ.  Thus  the  exhortation  of  this  verse  is  ex- 
actly parallel  to  ch.  2  :  38 :  "  Repent  and  be  bap- 


d, 


Ch.  Ill] 


THE  ACTS. 


55 


20  And  he'  shall  send  Jesus  Christ,  which  before 
was  preached  unto  you  : 

21  Whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until  the  times' 


of  restitution  of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken"  by 
the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  be- 
gan. 


B  ch.  1  :  11 ;  Heb.  9  :  28 t  Matt.  17  :  11 ....  a  Luke  1  :  70. 


tized  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  other 
interpretation  is  that  by  times  of  refreshing  is 
meant  "  the  great  season  of  joy  and  rest  which  it 
was  understood  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  in  his 
glory  was  to  bring  with  it "  {Alford),  and  hence 
that  Peter's  reference  is  here  to  the  second  com- 
ing of  Christ.  This  interpretation,  though  ad- 
missible, is,  I  think,  less  probable,  because  (1) 
the  word  times.  {xuiqoQ)  is  without  the  article  and 
is  in  the  plural ;  the  language  therefore  indicates 
repeated  and  frequent  occasions,  not  a  single 
definite  occasion,  though  in  the  singular  it  un- 
doubtedly is  used  to  designate  the  second  com- 
ing of  Christ    (see  1  Pet.  1:5;  Rev.  1:3);    (2)   the    WOrd 

refreshing  {uiayjvtic),  literally,  breathe  again, 
though  used  in  the  N.  T.  only  here,  accords  with 
those  metaphors  elsewhere  which  represent  the 
effect  of  the  spirit  to  be  the  bestowal  of  new 

spiritual    life    (see  references  below)  ;    (3)  if   that   iS    HOt 

contained  in  the  promise  here,  then  that  result 
of  repentance  and  conversion,  which  is  almost 
uniformly  coupled  in  the  Bible  with  the  promise 

of  pardon  for  past  sin  (Ps.  51  :  9,  lO;  Ezek.  36  :  '25,  26  ;  John 

3  ■  16 ;  Acts  2 :  38 ;  Rom.  8:1,2)  is  altogether  ignored  by 
Peter  here,  and  this  simply  to  anticipate  a  prom- 
ise of  Christ's  second  and  glorious  coming,  which 
is  made  more  distinctly  and  emphatically  imme- 
diately afterward  (ver.  21) ;  (4)  moreover,  if  the 
promise  here  is  of  Christ's  second  coming,  that  is, 
by  the  construction  of  the  sentence,  made  de- 
pendent on  the  repentance  and  conversion  of  the 
Jews,  whereas,  in  fact,  they  did  not,  as  a  nation, 
repent  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  and  were  conse- 
quently rejected  by  him,  and  his  second  coming 
will  assuredly  take  place,  and  this  irrespective  of 
the  repentance  and  conversion  of  either  individ- 
ual or  community  ;  for  he  will  come  to  assert  and 
enforce  his  right  to  reign  over  all  opposition  and 

in  spite   of  all   unbelief  (1  Xhess.  4  :  le  ;    Rev.  6  :  15-17  ; 

19 :  11-16).  I  understand  this  verse,  then,  to  be  a 
promise  of  free  forgiveness  and  a  new  spiritual 
life,  i.  e.,  pardon  and  regeneration,  upon  the  sim- 
ple condition  of  a  change  in  the  purpose  and  di- 
rection of  the  sinner.  Does  any  one  ask,  Does  this 
gift  of  new  life  precede  or  follow  the  act  of  re- 
pentance and  turning  to  the  Lord  ?  I  answer.  It 
accompanies  it,  as  the  act  of  the  impotent  man 
accompanied  and  was  essential  to  the  efficacy  of 
the  miracle  which  healed  him  (vers.  6-8.  Comp.  job 

5  -  8,  9). 

30.   And  that  he  may  send.     {unnnniXri, 

aor.  svbj.)  This  sending  is,  by  the  construction  of 
the  Greek,  dependent  on  their  repentance,  as  is 


the  times  of  reviving.  In  this  respect,  our  English 
version  is  defective.— The  Messiah  before  pre- 
pared for  you,  Jesus.  This  is  the  literal  trans- 
lation of  the  best  reading,  which  gives  prepared, 
not  preached,  and  places  Christ  before  Jesus.  The 
before  prepared  refers  to  the  appointment  of  God 
from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  (1  Pet. 
1  :  20 ;  Rev.  13 ;  s).  Most  critics  Understand  this 
passage  as  referring  to  the  return  of  Christ  at 
the  end  of  the  world.  It  is  noticeable,  however, 
(1)  that  nowhere  else  m  the  N.  T.  is  God  repre- 
sented as  sending  the  Messiah  into  the  world  in  hia 
second  coming,  which  is  described  as  in  his  own 
power,  while  in  his  mediatorial  character  he  is 
habitually  represented  as  sent  into  the  world  by 

the  Father  (Luke  4  :  is  ;  John  6  :  57  ;  17  :  3,  IS,  21,  23  ;  20  :  21  ; 

1  John  4 : 9, 10, 14) ;  (2)  this  Sending  is  here  made  de- 
pendent upon  the  repentance  of  the  sinner,  while 
the  second  coming  is  not  so.  I  therefore  under- 
stand Peter  here  to  refer  to  that  spiritual  send- 
ing of  the  Son  by  the  Father  to  the  individual 
soul,  on  condition  of  its  repentance  and  conver- 
sion, without  which  Christ  is  never  truly  brought 
home  to  the  soul,  nor  the  soul  led  to  accept  him 
as  its  Saviour.     See  John  6  :  37,  39,  44,  45. 

21.  Whom  the  heaven  must  receive. 
Not,  as  Bengel,  who  must  receive,  i.  e.,  take  pos- 
session, of  the  heavens,  a  meaning  which  does  vio- 
lence to  the  original  Greek,  and  is  proposed  only 
because  the  other  and  natural  interpretation  is 
thought  to  imply  that  "  heaven  is  greater  than 
Christ,"  and  to  be  "inimical  to  the  loftiness  of 
Christ  above  all  heavens."  Peter  explains,  in  a 
word,  that,  as  the  Messiah  must  be  crucified,  so 
he  must  ascend  up  into  heaven,  and  there  await 
the  time  appointed  of  God  for  the  fulfillment  of 
his  mission  and  the  establishment  of  his  king- 
dom.— Until  the  times  of  the  restoration 
of  all  things.  The  reference  is  clearly  to  the 
anticipated  restoration  and  glory  of  the  the- 
ocracy, promised  by  the  prophets  and  expected 
by  the  people  to  be  realized  by  the  Messiah. 
This  seems  to  me  to  be  clear  (1)  from  the  lan- 
guage itself,  which  clearly  points  to  a  future 
time  or  times  of  restoration  ;  (2)  from  the  refer- 
ence to  the  prophecies,  which  do  in  fact  point  to 
such  a  final  restoration  of  that  which  was  lost  by 
the  fall ;  (3)  from  Peter's  teaching  on  the  sub- 
ject, in  his  epistle,  concerning  the  day  of  God,  for 
which  the  saints  are  to  look,  and  to  which  they  are 
to  hasten,  a  day  that  ushers  in  the  new  heavens 
and  the  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousnesa 
(2  Pet.  3 :  12, 13) ;  (4)  from  the  fact  that  Peter  here 
employs  substantially  the  language  embodied  in 


56 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  hi. 


22  For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  A  prophet ' 
shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your 
brethren,  like  unto  me :  him  shall  ye  hear  in  all  things, 
whatsoever  he  shall  say  uuto  you. 

23  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul,  which 
will  not  hear  that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  from 
among  the  people. 

24  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel,  and  those 


that  follow  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken,  have  like- 
wise foretold  of  these  days. 

25  Ye  are"  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the 
covenant  which  God  made  with  our  lathers,  saying 
unto  Abraham,  And  in  ^  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kindreds 
of  the  earth  be  blessed. 

26  Unto  youy  first,  God,  having  raised  up  his  Son 
Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away'  every 
one  of  you  from  his  iniquities. 


T  Deat.  18  :  15-19  . .  - .  w  Rom.  9:4;  15  :  8 z  Gen.  22  ;  18 y  Matt.  10  :  6  ;  Luke  24  :  47 z  Isa.  59  :  20 ;  Matt.  1  :  21  ;  Tit.  2  :  11-14. 


the  question  of  the  apostles  to  Christ  respecting 
his  second  coming,  and  addressed  to  him  at  the 
time  of  his  ascension  (acu  i :  e) ;  (5)  from  the  con- 
sideration that  the  language  of  Peter  here,  inter- 
preted as  a  prophecy  of  Christ's  second  coming, 
corresponds  exactly  with  Christ's  own  teaching, 
both  with  and  without  parable,  viz.,  that  he  must 
depart  for  a  season,  until  the  appointed  time  was 
fulfilled,  when  he  would  return  again  and  take 
possession  of  and  perfect  his  kingdom.  See  par- 
ticularly Matt.,  ch.  25.  The  other  interpretations 
are,  Until  tlie  times  when  all  things  shall  have  been 
restored^  i.  e.,  by  the  gradual  progress  of  the  Gos- 
pel, which,  as  a  translation,  does  violence  to  the 
Greek,  and.  Until  ihe  times  of  the  fulfillment  of  all 
things  which  God  hath  spoken,  etc.,  which  imputes 
to  the  Greek  word  rendered  restitution  {dnoxu  tuu- 
■cixoi:)  a  meaning  which  in  the  N.  T.  Greek  is  never 
attached  to  it  or  the  verb  from  which  it  is  taken. 
Matt.  12  :  13 ;  17  :  11 ;  Mark  3  :  5 ;  8  :  25 ;  9  :  12 ; 
Luke  6  :  10 ;  Acts  1:6;  Heb.  13  :  19,  are  the  only 
passages  in  which  the  verb  occurs  in  the  N.  T.  ; 
the  noun  occurs  only  here.  In  all  these  passages 
the  idea  of  restitution  is  Implied. — Of  which 
(seasons)  God  hath  spoken  through  the 
mouth  of  his  holy  prophets.  All  is  omitted 
by  the  best  manuscripts. — Throughout  the 
ages.  For  some  of  the  prophetic  passages  here 
referred  to,  see  Isaiah  2  : 2-5 ;  11 : 6-9 ;  Dan.  2  :  35, 
44  ;  7  :  14  ;  Micah  4  :  3,  4 ;  Hag.  2:7-9;  Zech. 
ch.  14. 

22-24.  For  truly  Moses  said.  Not,  Moses 
said  truly,  Peter,  in  an  address  to  the  Jews,  does 
not  need  to  aflBrm  the  truth  of  Moses.  The  refer- 
ence is  to  Deut.  18  :  15-19,  a  part  of  which  only 
Peter  quotes,  and  that  not  verbatim.  The  varia- 
tions are  immaterial.  "  The  fathers  "  is  wanting 
in  the  best  manuscripts. — A  prophet  shall  the 
Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  from 
your  brethren,  like  unto  me.  That  Christ 
was  a  prophet,  and  the  last  in  the  long  line  of 
prophets,  is  clearly  implied  by  himself,  even 
where  he  marks  the  difference  between  himself 
as  a  Son  and  them  as  servants  (Matt.  22 :  33-39').  He 
was  not  ashamed  to  call  those  whom  he  redeemed 
brethren  (Heb.  2 :  11).  He  was  like  Moses  in  that 
both  were  mediators  between  God  and  man,  un- 
like in  the  covenants  or  dispensations  of  which 
they  were  the  respective  representatives,  and  in 
tfhe  authority  and  permanence  of  their  position 


in  the  household  of  God  (Heb.  a ;  b,  6 ;  3 :  i-e). — Him 
shall  ye  hear.  The  language  is  mandatory, 
not  prophetic.  Hear  is  equivalent  to  heed. — 
Shall  be  utterly  destroyed  from  among  the 
people.  In  the  original  passage  (Deut.  is :  19),  the 
language  is  more  general,  /  will  punish,  or,  in  our 
English  version,  /  will  require  it  of  him,  i.  e.,  call 
him  to  account  therefor.  The  spiritual  signifi- 
cance of  the  warning  here  is  given  by  Christ  in 
John  3  :  18  ;  8  :  24.  This  verse  thus  interpreted 
indicates  the  nature  of  sin,  under  the  N.  T.  dis- 
pensation, viz.,  a  refusal  to  hear  and  heed  Christ 
and  the  nature  of  punishment,  spiritual  destruc- 
tion.— Of  these  days.  Not,  those  days,  i,  e., 
those  of  the  future  coming  of  Christ  and  conse- 
quent restoration  of  all  things,  but  the  present 
days,  the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel.  The  decla- 
ration here  is  explicit  that,  underlying  all  minor 
prophecies  and  interwoven  in  the  whole  body  of 
prophecy,  the  constant  theme  of  them  all,  is  the 
promise  of  the  Redeemer  and  his  redemption ;  a 
strong  confirmation  of  that  system  of  interpreta- 
tion which  recognizes  in  the  history  and  ceremo- 
nialism of  the  O.  T.  a  foreshadowing  of  the  reve- 
lations of  the  N.  T.,  and  in  many  prophecies  of  the 
O.  T.  a  double  meaning,  a  Christly  significance, 
shining  through  their  historical  and  partial  ful- 
fillment, which  makes  history  itself  a  prophecy. 
25,  26.  Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  prophets. 
Descended  from  them ;  belonging  to  the  same 
nationality  ;  therefore,  these  promises  are  pecu- 
liarly to  you,  and  these  warnings  also.  Comp. 
Rom.  3  :2. — And  of  the  covenant.  Embraced 
in  that  covenant  which  was  to  Abraham  and  his 
seed.  Paul  applies  this  to  Christ  as  the  seed  of 
Abraham  (cai.  3 :  le) ;  but  he  was  so  because,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  a  Jew  ;  and  the  promise  was 
primarily  to  the  Jewish  nation,  and  to  all  the 
kindreds  or  families  of  the  earth,  through  the 
Jewish  nation,  because  through  Jesus. — Unto 
you  first,  God,  having  raised  up  his  ser- 
vant. Not,  Son  («a7c  not  viog).  The  word 
Jesus  is  not  in  the  best  manuscripts.  It  is  a 
gloss  added  by  a  later  hand,  but  correctly  inter- 
prets the  meaning  of  the  passage. — Sent  him. 
Not,  .'ihall  send  him.  Observe,  in  confirmation  of 
the  interpretation  I  have  given  above  of  ver.  20, 
that  God  is  represented  as  still  sending  Jesus 
into  the  world,  in  the  dispensation  of  his  Gospel, 
although,  personally,  Jesus  has  ascended  into 


Ch.  IV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


57 


CHAPTER    IV. 

AND  as  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests,  and 
the  captain  of  the  temple,  and  the  Sadducees," 
came  upon  them, 

2  Being  grieved   that  they  taught  the  people,  and 
preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 


3  And  they  laid  hands  on  them,  and  put  them  in  hold 
unto  the  next  day :  for  it  was  now  eventide. 

4  Howbeit  many''  of  them  which  heard  the  word  be- 
lieved ;  and  the  number  of  the  men  was  about  live 
thousand. 

5  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  their  rul- 
ers, and  elders,  and  scribes, 


a  ch.  23  :  8  ;  Matt.  22  ;  23 . . . .  b  ch.  28  :  24. 


I 


and  remains  in  the  heavens.  Observe,  too,  that 
the  language  here  implies  that  Peter  recognized 
that  this  Gospel  was  for  the  Gentiles  as  well  as 
for  the  Jews,  but  that  it  must  first  be  preached 
to  the  latter.  Not  until  later,  however,  did  he 
learn  that  the  Gentiles  might  come  into  the  king- 
dom of  Christ  without  first  becoming  Jews  by 
submitting  to  the  rite  of  circumcision  (Acts  lo :  45 ; 
15:1;  Gal.  2  :  12).  —  To  bless  you  in  turning 
away  every  one  of  you  from  his  iniquity. 
Not  merely,  nor  even  chiefly,  in  providing  a  par- 
don for  sins  that  are  past,  but  in  saving  from 
sins  that  are  future  :  the  former  being  the  con- 
dition of  and  preparatory  for  the  latter.  See 
Matt.  1  :  21 ;  1  John  1  :  9.  Peter's  address  is  not 
apparently  finished,  but  broken  off  by  his  arrest 
by  the  Temple  oflScers. 

Ch.  4  :  1-22.  FIRST  THREATENING  OF  PERSECUTION. 
— The  teial  op  teee  apostles'  faith, — theib  power, 
AND  THEiK  vicTGRT.    See  note  at  end  of  section. 

The  arrest  of  the  apostles  occurred  on  the 
evening  of  the  same  day  as  the  miracle ;  the  con- 
ference with  the  apostles  on  the  day  following. 

1-3.  The  priests,  and  the  captain  of 
the  Temple,  and  the  Sadducees.  The 
captain  of  tlie  Temple  is  the  chief  of  the  Temple 
police,  a  Levitical  force  for  the  preservation  of 
order,  and  referred  to,  not  only  in  the  Rabbinical 

writings   (see  Lightfoot  here,  and  on  Luke  22  :  4)  and   JOSC- 

phus  (Wars  of  Jews  6 : 5,  s),  but  also  in  both  the  O.  T. 

and  the  N.  T.  (2  Kings  11  :  9;  Jer.  20  :  1  ;    Luke  22  :  4,  52; 

John  7  :  32;  18  :  s).  Captains  of  the  Temple  are 
referred  to  in  Luke  ;  probably  the  Temple  guard 
was  divided  into  several  corps,  each  having  its 
captain,  but  all  under  one  chief  who  is  here  re- 
ferred to.  The  priests  probably  incited  the 
arrest,  because  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  directly  inimical  to  the  hierarchy  (see  Matt. 
26 :  61 ;  Acts  6 :  u) ;  the  Captain  of  the  Temple  ar- 
rested them  on  the  pretext  that  the  running 
of  the  people  together  (ch.  3 :  11)  was  disorderly  ; 
and  the  Sadducees  participated  for  the  reason 
stated  in  the  next  verse,  i.  e. ,  because  the  apostles 
testified  to  the  resurrection.  The  Sadducees 
were  the  materialists  and  infidels  of  the  first  cen- 
tury and  denied  both  spiritual  existence  and  the 
resurrection  (Matt.  22 :  23 ;  Acts  23 : 8).  See  Matt.  3  :  7, 
note,  for  their  history  and  principles.  Observe 
in  this  first  persecution  of  the  church  a  type  of 
all  that  follow :   A  corrupt  priesthood  lead  the 


way ;  the  civil  power  is  its  instrument ;  the  in- 
fidel world  combines  with  and  sustains  the  two. 
— Being  exercised  because  they  taught  the 
people,  and  preached  in  Jesus  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  There  is  some  question 
whether  this  clause  describes  the  Sadducees  only, 
or  also  the  priests  and  the  captain.  The  word 
rendered  grieved  is  literally,  exercised  ;  i.  e.,  men- 
tally disturbed  and  troubled.  Two  things 
aroused  them,  one  that  the  disciples,  without 
any  official  authority,  assumed  to  teach  the  peo- 
ple ;  the  other,  the  doctrine  which  they  taught, 
which  was  not  the  general  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  except  by  implication  (seech,  n:  31),  but  the 
resurrection  in  the  case  of  Jesus,  attested  by  the 
healing  of  the  cripjile  (ch.  3 :  15,  le).  Observe  that 
infidelity  as  well  as  religion  has  its  bigots. — 
Laid  hands  on  them.  Arrested  them ;  the 
language  implies  some  actual  violence  in  the 
arrest. — Put  them  in  hold.  In  a  guard  or 
watch-house.  Where  this  was,  and  what  its 
nature,  is  not  known.  On  the  Jewish  prison,  see 
notes  on  ch.  5  :  18-33 ;  13  :  3-11. — Now  even- 
tide. The  miracle  was  performed  at  3  p.  M. 
The  arrest  was  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day. 

4.  And  the  number  of  the  men.  The  ori- 
ginal («)'»;o  not  uy^oMiroc)  implies  male  converts, 
though  this  is  questioned  by  some  scholars.  But 
the  language  does  not  justify  the  deduction  that 
as  yet  only  men  attached  themselves  to  the 
church  {OUhausen) ;  rather,  as  in  Matt.  14  :  21,  it 
indicates  the  number  of  males  besides  women 
and  children,  i.  e.,  the  number,  presumptively,  of 
heads  of  households.  In  Jewish  estimates,  the 
number  of  women  converted  would  be  less  signi- 
ficant.— Was  about  five  thousand.  Tischen- 
dorf  omits  about ;  Alford  questions  it.  It  is  un- 
certain whether  this  number  represents  the  new 
converts  on  this  occasion,  or  the  whole  number 
of  the  church  ;  probably  the  latter. 

5,  6.  Their  rulers;  i.  e.,  the  rulers  of  the 
Jews,  not  those  of  the  disciples  or  apostles. 
Nevertheless,  they  were  the  rulers  of  the  latter, 
to  be  obeyed  in  all  things  in  which  the  divine 
command  was  not  contravened  (Matt.  23  :  3). 
And  elders  and  scribes  *  *  *  were 
gathered  together.  A  meeting  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim is  described.  See  Matt.  3  :  4,  note,  and  for 
its  history,  organization  and  methods  of  proced- 
ure. Vol.  I,  p.  298.  The  elders  (s?e  Matt,  le :  21,  unto) 
were  political  leaders,  whose  office  dates  from 


58 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


6  And  Annas  ■=  the  high  priest,  and  Caiaphas,  and 
John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kin- 
dred of  the  high  priest,  were  gathered  together  at  Je- 
rusalem. 

7  And  when  they  had  set  them  in  the  midst,  they 
asked,  By  what"  power,  or  by  what  name,  have  ye 
done  this  ? 

8  Then  Peter,  filled «  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto 
them,  Ye  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of  Israel, 


9  If  we  this  day  be  examined  of  the  good  deed  done 
to  the  impotent  man,  by  what  means  he  is  made  whole  ; 

10  Be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the  people 
of  Israel,  that  by  f  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Naza- 
reth, whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from  the 
dead,  eveti  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you 
whole. 

11  This  is  the  stone  ^  which  was  set  at  nought  of  you 
builders,  which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner. 


c  John  18  :  13 d  Matt.  21  :  23 e  ch.  7  :  55 f  ch.  3  :  6, 16 g  Ps.  118  :  22  ;  Isa.  28  :  16 ;  Matt.  21  :  42. 


the  patriarchal  age  ;  the  scribes  were  the  Jewish 
rabbis  and  commentators  on  the  law.  The  meet- 
ing now  convened  was  packed  with  the  special 
friends  of  the  hierarchy,  the  kinsfolk  of  the 
high-priest.  Annas  was  appointed  high-priest 
A.  D.  7,  but  was  removed  by  the  Roman  procu- 
rator A.  D.  23.  He  continued,  however,  to  bear 
the  title  and  really  to  wield  the  powers  of  the 
office.    He  is  called  high-priest  here,  probably 


AX   ORIENTAL   COTJBT. 

because  he  is  recognized  as  such  by  the  Jews, 
the  authority  of  the  Romans  to  appoint  to  this 
sacred  office  being  denied  by  them.  Originally, 
the  high-priesthood  was  a  life  office.  Nothing  is 
known  with  certainty  of  the  individuals  desig- 
nated as  John  and  Alexander. 

7.  By  what  power,  or  by  what  name, 
have  ye  clone  this?  i.  e.,  this  miracle.  The 
question  was  not  asked  for  information ;  for  the 
apostles  had  already  publicly  declared  that  it  was 
done  by  the  power  and  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth (ch.  .■?  r  6,  lo) ;  and  it  was  this  their  declaration, 
not  the  healing,  which  led  to  their  arrest  (ver.  2). 
But  a  distinct  statute  provided  (Dcut.  n :  1-5)  that 
every  prophet  who  should  attempt  to  turn  away 
the  allegiance  of  the  people  from  Jehovah,  should 
be  put  to  death  ;  under  this  law  Jesus  had  him- 
self been  condemned  by  the  Sanhedrim  (voi.  i, 
p.  298) ;  and  the  question  was  asked  here,  either 


to  lay  a  foundation  for  a  charge  of  blasphemy 
against  the  apostles  in  attempting  to  win  the 
allegiance  of  the  people  to  Jesus,  or  to  frighten 
the  apostles  into  a  retraction  or  modification  of 
their  assertion.  The  leaders  of  the  hierarchy 
must  have  known  that  all  Christ's  disciples  for- 
sook him  and  fled  at  the  time  of  his  arrest  and 
trial ;  to  frighten  them  would  not,  therefore, 
seem  impracticable. 

8-13.  Peter's  answer,  by  its  commingled  bold- 
ness and  wisdom,  frustrates  their  design.  He 
declares  that  the  miracle  was  wrought  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom,  by  a  single 
word,  he  pronounces  the  Messiah  ;  to  the  unut- 
tered  objection  of  the  Sanhedrim  that  this  Jesus 
had  already  been  condemned  as  an  impostor,  he 
responds  by  referring  them  to  the  prophecy  of 
Ps.  118  :  23 ;  and  he  concludes  by  at  once,  im- 
pliedly, denying  that  he  is  guilty  of  attempting 
to  impair  the  allegiance  due  to  Jehovah,  and 
making  the  cure  an  occasion  and  a  text  for 
preaching  the  Gospel,  by  declaring  that  this 
Jesus  whom  they  have  rejected  is  the  Saviour 
appointed  by  Jehovah  and  foretold  in  the  O.  T. 
—Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
He  relies  upon  and  receives  the  fulfillment  of 
Christ's  promise  in  Luke  12  :  11, 12,  and  exempli- 
fies his  own  exhortation.  Add  to  your  faith,  virtue; 
i.  e.,  courage  (2  Pet.  1 : 5). — Rulers  of  the  people 
and  elders  of  Israel.  He  addresses  them  with 
the  respect  due  their  office,  though  he  does  not 
hesitate  to  charge  upon  them  the  death  of  the 
Messiah.  Corap.  Paul's  language  ch.  22  : 1 ;  23  : 1, 
and  Peter's  direction  to  his  readers  in  1  Pet.  2  :  17, 
Honor  all  men,  etc. — Concerning  the  good 
deed  done  to  the  impotent  man.  The 
goodness  of  the  deed  was  not  questioned ;  the 
man  was  present  to  attest  it  by  his  restoration 
(ver.  u).  Thus  Peter's  opening  sentence  shows 
the  false  position  of  the  court ;  for  the  apostles 
are  charged  with  having  done,  not  evil,  but  good. 
—By  Avhat  he  has  been  saved.  The  original 
verb  is  the  same  translated  saved  in  ver.  12. 
Thus  Peter  makes  the  salvation  of  the  impotent 
from  his  iinpotency  a  text  for  proclaiming  the 
Gospel  salvation.  In  this  he  follows  the  example 
set  him  by  his  Master  (john  9 :  39-41 ;  6 :  35).  J>y  trhat 
includes  both  the  questions  addressed  to  Peter, 
viz.,  by  what  poiver  and  in  what  name. — Be  it 
known  unto  you  all.    He  neither  conceals, 


Ch.  IV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


59 


12  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  ■> 
is  none  other'  name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved. 

13  Now  when  they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter  and 
John,  and  perceived  that  they  were  unlearned  J  and 
ignorant  men,  they  marvelled;  and  they  took  know- 
ledge of  them,  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus. 

14  And  beholding  the  man  which  was  healed  stand- 
ing with  them,  they  could  say  nothing"  against  it. 

15  But   when  they  had    commanded    them    to   go 


aside  out  of  the  council,  they  conferred  among  them- 
selves, 

16  Saying,  What'  shall  we  do  to  these  men  ?  for  that 
indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them  is 
manifest  to  all  them  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  we 
cannot  deny  ii. 

17  But  that  it  spread  no  further  among  the  people, 
let  us  straitly  threaten  them,  that  they  ™  speak  hence- 
forth to  no  man  in  this  name. 

18  And  they  called  them,  and  commanded  them  not 
to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 


h  ch.  10  :  43  ;   1  Tim.  2:5,  6  ....  i  Ps.  45  :  17  . . . .  j  Matt.  11  :  25  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  27 k  ch.  19  :  36 1  John  11  ; 


prevaricates,  nor  hesitates.  He  understands  the 
issue,  and  meets  it  with  boldness. —  In  the 
name  of  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  the  Naza- 
rene.  Jesus  the  Saviour,  Christ  the  Messiah,  i?ie 
Nazareiie  the  despised.  See  on  ch.  3  : 6. — Whom 
ye  crucified.  The  arraigned  arraigns  his  ac- 
/  cusers.  He  implies,  I  know  that  you  have  con- 
demned this  man  as  a  blasphemer  and  an  impos- 
tor. I  reassert  his  Messiahship,  attested  by  this 
miracle  wrought  by  his  power. — This  is  the 
stone  set  at  naught  by  you,  the  builders. 
The  reference  is  to  Ps.  118  :  33.  Christ  applies 
the  same  prophecy  to  himself  in  Matt.  21  :  43. 
On  its  meaning  and  application,  see  note  there. 
The  "head  of  the  corner  "  is  not  the  coping  of 
the  wall,  but  the  corner-stone.  On  Christ  as  the 
corner-stone,  see  1  Cor.  3  :  11 ;  Ephes.  3  :  20-33  ; 
1  Pet.  3  :  6,  7.  Peter's  object  in  the  quotation 
here,  is  to  show  that  their  condemnation  of 
Christ,  by  the  Sanhedrim,  as  an  impostor,  ful- 
fills 0.  T.  prophecy  respecting  the  promised 
Messiah. — And  there  is  not  in  any  other  the 
salvation.  Observe  the  definite  article  before 
the  noun,  unfortunately  not  expressed  in  the 
English  version.  The  salvation  indicates  a  salva- 
tion definitely  conceived  and  assumed  as  known 
to  the  hearers ;  the  salvation  promised  to  Israel 
through  the  Messiah.  The  alternatives  which 
have  been  proposed,  Neither  is  there  salvation 
to  this  lame  man,  and  Neither  is  there  salvation 
to  us,  i.  e.,  protection  in  our  present  emergency, 
are  quite  inadmissible,  and  would  never  have 
been  devised  but  to  avoid  the  doctrine  of  salva- 
tion exclusively  through  Jesus  Christ. — Neither 
is  there  any  other  name  under  heaven. 
Equivalent  to  In  all  the  earth. — Given.  Be- 
stowed by  God. — Among  men.  Not  to  men, 
nor  for  men,  but  among  men,  as  the  sphere  in 
which  the  salvation  is  provided.  Observe,  men, 
not  Jews  ;  the  apostle  recognizes  that  it  is  a  sal- 
vation for  humanity. — Whereby  Ave  must  be 
saved.  The  preacher  classes  himself  with  the 
erucifiers  as  a  fellow-sinner,  equally  with  them 
needing  salvation.  Observe  in  this  brief  address 
the  combined  spirit  of  respect  for  the  oflBce  of 
the  rulers,  of  humility,  and  of  courage  in  con- 
demning their  sin  and  testifying  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Observe,  too,  that  while  salvation  is  exclusive, 


afforded  only  through  Jesus  Christ  (comp.  John  3 :  is  j 
10 : 8;  2  Cor.  11 : 4 ;  Gal.  1 : 8, 9),  it  is  not  neccssarily  con- 
fined to  those  who  know  the  name  or  understaiid 
the  truth  respecting  Jesus  (Matt.  8: 11,12;  25:37-39, 

see  note  ;   Acts  10  :  35  ;   Rom    2  :  6,  7).      TJie    name    here    13 

equivalent  to  Jesus  Christ  himself  in  all  his 
offices  and  attributes  (see  Matt.  28 :  19,  note),  and  the 
salvation  which  he  brings  is  larger  than  our 
comprehension  of  it. 

13.  Now  when  they  saw  the  boldness 
of  Peter  and  John.  Literally  ^jtoi«-.vp(jfcew- 
ness.  There  was  none  of  that  hesitation  in 
speech  which  comes  of  timidity,  and  which,  in 
the  case  of  men  unskilled  in  the  arts  of  speech, 
would  be  natural  before  such  a  tribunal. — And 
perceived  that  they  were  unlearned  and 
ignorant.  Utilearned  {uyoduuuTue)  is  iinversed  in 
literature,  here,  untaught  in  the  Jewish  schools, 
the  Rabbinical  being  the  only  literature  which 
the  Pharisaic  teachers  recognized  as  legitimate 
subjects  of  study ;  ignorant  {iSitJjrt]:)  is  more 
probably  common  people,  in  contrast  with  pub- 
lic and  recognized  teachers.  The  first  refers  to 
their  education,  the  second  also  to  their  social 
position  (comp.  1  Cor.  1  :  27). — They  marvelled; 
also  they  recognized  them  that  they  were 
Avith  Jesus.  Not  merely  had  been,  as  in  our 
EngUsh  version,  but  iverc,  that  is,  were  custom- 
arily his  associates  and  followers  while  he  was 
living.  "Their  wonder  sharpened  their  recol- 
lection "  {Meyer)  ;  and  considering  more  nar- 
rowly, they  now,  apparently  for  the  first  time, 
recognized  in  the  two  accused,  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Observe,  what  identified  them  with  Je- 
sus was  their  boldness  of  utterance.  Observe  too, 
that  the  influence  of  Christ's  presence  may  and 
should  be  attested  by  the  spirit  of  his  followers. 

14.  The  man  *  *  *  standing  with 
them.  Either  arrested  with  the  apostles  the 
night  before,  as  being  in  part  the  means  of  pro- 
voking disturbance,  or  summoned  as  a  witness, 
or  coming  voluntarily  before  the  court  to  testify 
for  the  apostles,  or  possibly  as  a  mere  spectator. 
All  these  conjectures  have  been  suggested. 

15-18.  They  conferred  among  them- 
selves. We  have  only  the  substance  of  their 
deliberations.  The  court  was  obliged  to  sit  with 
open  doors ;  the  facts  would  therefore  be  known. 


60 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IY. 


19  But  Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearlien  " 
unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye. 

2 J  For  we"  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  weP 
have  seen  and  heard. 

21  So  when  they  had  further  threatened  them,  they 


let  them  go,  finding  nothing  how  they  might  punish 
them,  because  1  of  the  people:  for  all  men  glorified 
God  lor  that  which  was  done. 

22  For  the  man  was  above  forty  years  old,  on  whom 
this  miracle  of  healing  was  shewed. 

23  And  being  let  go,  they  wenf  to  their  own  com- 


n  ch.  5  :  39 0  Jer.  20  :  9 . . . .  p  ch.  22  :  15 ;  1  Joha  1:1,! 


.  q  ch.  6  :  26 ;    Matt.  21  :  26 r  ch.  2  :  42 


— What  shall  we  do  to  these  men?  Ob- 
serve, their  question  is  in  form  analogous  to  that 
of  the  people  in  ch.  2  :  37,  but  in  spirit  how  dif- 
ferent ! — For  that  a  well-known  miracle 
hath  been  done  through  them.  Well-known, 
not  notable.  What  troubled  the  council  was 
not  the  remarkable  character  of  the  miracle,  but 
the  fact  that  it  was  known  to  all  the  people,  and 
could  not  be  gainsaid.  By  them  (Jitd  avVujv)  is 
rather  Through  their  means,  and  indicates  the 
apostles  as  the  instrument,  not  as  the  original 
cause  of  the  cure. — Let  us  straitly  threaten 
them.  Literally,  With  threatening  let  us 
threaten  them. — Not  to  speak  nor  to  teach 
in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Literally  upon  the 
name  (t^Oi  *■  ^-i  "so  as  to  make  that  name  the 
subject  (basis)  of  their  discoursing." — {Alford.) 
The  prohibition  was  twofold :  they  were  not  to 
act  as  public  teachers  at  all,  and  especially  they 
were  not  to  teach  the  people  respecting  Jesus. 
The  ostensible  reason  for  this  prohibition  was 
that  they  were  not  authorized  as  teachers,  and 
their  doctrine  was  false  ;  the  real  reason  appears 
in  ch.  5  :  28. 

19,20.  Peter  and  John.  Not  necessarily 
both  of  them ;  one  may  have  acted  as  spokes- 
man for  the  other.  But  the  utterance  repre- 
sented the  spirit  and  purpose  of  both. — In  the 
si§;ht  of  God.  "The  world  accounts  many 
things  right  which  in  the  sight  of  God  are  not 
right;  and  conversely."  —  {Bengel.)  Observe 
that  here  they  violate  the  letter  of  Christ's 
command  in  Matt.  23  :  3,  that  they  may  fulfill 
the  spirit  of  his  command  in  Matt.  2(5  :  19,  20.^ — 
To  hearken  unto  you  rather  than  to  God. 
To  hearken  is  not  exactly  synonymous  with  To 
obey.  They  will  not  even  hearken  to  those  who 
command  disobedience  to  God.  Thus,  superior 
to  all  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authority,  they  pro- 
claim the  authority  of  the  word  of  God  as  inter- 
preted by  the  individual  conscience  (Dan.  3 :  is ; 
6 :  10).  Baumgarten  interprets  well  both  their 
courage  and  the  lesson  it  conveys.  "  What  a 
shock  to  the  mind,  what  perplexity,  weakness, 
and  want  of  faith,  would  in  these  days  show 
themselves,  if  the  highest  authority  in  sacred 
things  were  to  decide  against  the  truth.  IIow 
many  are  there  not  at  all  times  who  are  disposed 
to  maintain  inviolate  a  respect  for  such  an  au- 
thority, which  they  say  is  indispensable  for  the 
general  good,  even  though  truth  would  in  some 
degree  sufier  thereby  ?    How  few  in  such  a  case 


would  maintain  either  internal  certainty  or  ex- 
ternal firmness.  And  what  is  any  sacred  author- 
ity among  ourselves,  compared  with  the  Sanhe- 
drim of  Israel  in  the  first  days  after  the  Pente- 
cost?"— Judge  ye.  The  apostles  still  employ 
the  language  of  respect,  and  appeal  to  the  con- 
sciences of  their  judges. — For  Ave  cannot  but 
speak  what  we  have  seen  and  heard.  The 
Christian  assurance  of  conviction  compels  cour- 
age in  utterance  (Amos  3 : 8 ;  1  Cor.  9 ;  is).  The  seen 
here  is  the  personal  character  and  example  of 
Christ ;  the  heard  are  his  instructions. 

31,  22.  So  when  they  had  further 
threatened  them.  The  only  effect  was  to 
increase  the  faith  and  courage  of  the  apostles 
(ver.  29).— Finding  nothing  how  they  might 
punish  them.  No  specious  pretext  for  pun- 
ishment. —  Because  of  the  people.  Who 
would  be  rendered  indignant  by  punishment 
inflicted  for  so  great  and  so  merciful  a  cure. 
Comp.  ch.  2  :  47.  The  opposition  to  Christ  and 
the  primitive  church  came  from  the  rulers  (Ps. 
2 : 2),  not,  in  the  first  instance,  from  the  common 
people.  "Often  the  people  are  more  rational 
than  their  rulers." — {Bengel.) — Above  forty 
years  old.  An  indication  of  the  inveterate  and 
incurable  nature  of  his  infirmity,  which~  he  had 
suffered  from  birth  (ch.  3 : 2). 

In  considering  the  conduct  of  the  apostles  on 
this  occasion,  observe,  (1)  The  trial  of  their  faith. 
Not  merely  was '  there  naturally  personal  fear  of 
persecution,  but  also  the  fear  of  unskilled  men, 
lest  their  imperfect  presentation  of  a  great  cause, 
at  a  critical  juncture,  should  prejudice  it.  For 
this  was  the  first  investigation  by  the  Sanhedrim 
into  the  claims  of  Christianity,  after  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  importance,  in  a 
human  point  of  view,  of  a  decision  in  its  favor, 
we  can  hardly  overestimate.  And  the  popular 
movement  had  assumed  such  proportions  that 
there  may  well  have  been  a  hope  of  securing  in 
its  favor  the  acquiescence  of  the  rulers.  (2.) 
The  apostolic  spirit.  The  apostles  are  respectful 
to  the  court,  because  of  its  offldal  position,  out- 
spoken in  the  avowal  of  their  own  convictions, 
abating  nothing  of  the  claims  of  Jesus  to  be  1;he 
only  M:essiah  and  Saviour,  pointed  in  their  con- 
demnation of  the  sin  of  their  accusers  in  crucify- 
ing the  Messiah,  humble  in  recognizing  their  own 
need  of  a  Saviour,  resolute  in  their  expressed 
determination  to  obey  God  rather  than  man.  (3.) 
The  secret  of  their  power.     Peter  was  naturally 


Gil  IV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


61 


Eany,  and  reported  all  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
ad'said  unto  them. 

24  A  ad  when  they  heard  that,  they  lifted  up  their 
voice  to  God  with  one  accord,  and  said,  Lord,  thou  * 
art  God,  which  hast  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the 
sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is : 


25  Who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant  David  hast 
said,  Why  did '  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things  ? 

26  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the  rulers 
were  gathered  together  against  tlie  Lord,  and  against 
his  Clirist. 


g  2  Kings  19  :  15 t  Ps.  2  :  1,  2. 


weali  and  wavering ;  both  were  uneducated, 
self-distrustful,  and  naturally  liable  to  be  over- 
awed by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Israel.  But  they 
were  strong  because  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost 

(Ephes.  6  :  13,  19). 

Ch.  4  :  23-31.  RELEASE  OF  THE  APOSTLES,  A>D 
PRAYER  OK  THE  CHURCH.  The  apostles'  refuge  : 
God  the  aix-mightt  (ver.  34),  the  am^-wise  (ver. 
25-27),  the  all-controlling  (ver  28). — The  apos- 
tolic PRATER  :  NOT  TO  BE  RESCUED  FROM  TRIAL,  BUT 
TO  BE  MADE  VICTORIOUS  IN  TRIAL. 

This  meeting  takes  place  on  the  same  day  as 
the  trial  reported  above.  By  one  of  those  dra- 
matic changes  common  in  hfe,  we  are  suddenly 
transported  from  the  councU-chamber  of  the 
Sanhedrim  into  the  midst  of  the  Christian  broth- 
erhood. The  malice  and  perturbation  of  the 
one,  the  purity  and  peace  of  the  other,  stand 
out  the  more  clearly  from  the  contrast.  Defeat- 
ed in  their  plea  before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  for- 
bidden to  continue  their  ministry  to  the  people, 
the  disciples  seek  refuge  in  God. 

23,  24.  And  being  let  go,  they  went  to 
their  own.  Not  to  their  own  homes,  nor  to  the 
twelve,  but  to  the  body  of  believers,  who  were 
probably  praying  together  for  them,  as  in  ch. 
ia  :  12.  Probably  all  were  not  gathered,  but  a 
representative  number.  Both  sinners  and  saints, 
when  released  from  temporary  influence  or  re- 
straint, go   back   to   their   own    (ch.  l  :  25,  note  ;  2  Tim. 

4 :  10).  Observe  the  evidence  of  vital  Chrisi!an 
sympathy  and  fellowship  in  the  primitive  church. 
It  is  a  good  sign  when  the  Christian  goes  to  his 
church  as  to  "his  own,"  for  sympathetic  help  in 
time  of  trouble. — With  one  accord  they 
lifted  up  a  voice  to  God.  A  concert  of 
hearts,  not  of  voices,  is  implied.  One  may  have 
uttered  a  prayer  for  all,  and  one  in  which  all 
spirits  united,  or,  as  suggested  by  Baumgarten, 
all  may  have  said  or  sung  the  second  Psalm,  and 
then  one  of  the  company  may  have  applied  it  to 
their  condition.  The  report  is  probably  not  ver- 
balim. — Lord.  The  prayer  is  addressed  to  the 
Father ;  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  word  here 
rendered  Lord  (Jionuri]:,  not  y.vinog)  is  ever  ap- 
plied to  Christ  m  the  N.  T.,  though  2  Pet.  2  : 1 
may  be  an  instance.  It  signifies  literally  Master, 
and  is  sometimes  so  rendered  (ixim.  6:i,  2;  1  Pet. 
2 :  18).  From  it  comes  our  English  word  despot. — 
Thou  God,  Avhich  hast  made  heaven,  etc. 
Not,  as  in  our  English  version,  and  as  Alford, 


"Thou  art  the  God."  The  word  art  is  added  by 
the  translators.  The  language  is  that  of  fervid 
appeal  to  God  as  the  Creator.  For  parallel 
usage  in  prayers  see  Neh.  9:6;  Jer.  32  :  17. 
The  latter  passage  indicates  the  spiritual  signifi- 
cance of  the  language  here  :  "  There  is  nothing 
too  hard  for  thee."  The  apostles  strengthen 
their  faith  by  recalling  the  aU-mighty  power  of 
their  Divine  Master, 

25,  26.  There  is  some  uncertainty  both  as  to 
the  reading  and  the  verbal  meaning  of  these 
verses.  The  best  MSS.  give  verse  25  as  follows : 
Who  by  the  mouth  of  our  father,  thy  servant  David, 
bij  the  Holy  Spirit  hast  said.  This  is  the  reading 
adopted  by  Lachmann,  Tischendorf  and  Alford. 
It  does  not  difEer  in  meaning  from  the  simpler 
form  of  the  Received  Text.  The  word  rendered 
rage  {d^Qvcioow)  is  literallj',  to  fume,  as  high-spir- 
ited horses,  against  control.  That  intolerance  of 
control,  which  is  the  effect  of  pride,  is  indicated. 
To  imagine  a  vain  thing  {ut/.iruu),  is  to  purpose 
vain  things ;  here,  to  lay  plans  which  were  both 
innately  empty  and  worthless,  and  also  in  vain, 
as  all  plans  in  opposition  to  God  must  ever  be. 
iStood  up  is  equivalent  to  the  English  phrase, 
"took  their  stand,"  and  indicates  a  fixed  and 
determined  resistance.  TJte  riders  were  gathered 
together  answers  to.  Took  counsel  together,  in  Ps. 
2  :  2.  The  verb  is  in  the  passive  voice,  and  the 
language  indicates  not  merely,  nor  mainly,  that 
they  gathered  in  one  place,  but  that  they  were 
drawn  together  by  one  purpose  ;  {in'  indicates  not 
the  place  where,  but  the  object  for  which  they 
gathered).  Against  the  Lord  is  against  God  the 
Father,  against  his  Christ  is  against  his  Anointed 
One,  i.  e.,  the  Messiah.  The  quotation  here  is 
from  Ps.  2  :  3  ;  the  reference  of  which  to  Christ, 
and  the  persecution  against  him  and  his  church, 
could  hardly  be  doubted,  even  were  it  not  here 
expressly  so  applied.  The  fulfiUment  of  this 
prophecy  was  not,  however,  exhausted  in  the 
first  century  ;  "it  runs  parallel  with  the  history 
of  the  conflict  and  the  triumph  of  the  cause  of 
truth." — (ITackett.)  The  apostles  recognized  in 
the  course  of  the  Sanhedrim,  not  a  mere  transient 
outbreak  from  a  single  though  powerful  faction, 
but  a  manifestation  of  that  hostility  against  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  which  ancient  prophecy  had 
foretold.  But  they  also  recognized  a  fulfillment 
of  the  divine  plan  and  purpose,  and  therefore, 
were  neither  surprised  nor  terrified.  Observe 
that  the  language  assumes  the  inspiration  of  the 


62 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


27  For  of  a  truth,  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom 
thou  hast  anointed,  both  Herod,"  and  Pontius  Pilate, 
witli  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gath- 
ered together, 


28  For  '  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsei 
determined  "  before  to  be  done. 

29  And  now.  Lord,  behold  their  threatenings :  and 
grant  unto  thy  servants,  that  with  all  boldness  "  they 
may  speak  thy  word. 


u  Luke  23  :  1,  8,  etc. 


ch.  3  :  18 w  Prov.  21  :  30 ;  Isa.  46  ;  10  ;  53  :  10  ....  i  vers.  13,  31 ;  ch.  14  :  3  j   28  :  31 ;  Ephes.  6  :  19. 


psalm :  "  Thou,  God,    *    *    *    by  the  mouth  of 
thy  servant  David  hast  said." 
27.   For  there  were  gathered  together. 

The  wicked  unite  as  well  as  the  holy,  but  "  unity 
without  truth  is  conspiracy." — { A ug^istine.)— In 
truth,  iu  this  city.  The  words  In  this  city  are 
found  in  the  best  MSS.,  and  are  added  by  Tisch- 
endorf,  Alford,  Hackett,  etc.  Alford  sees  in 
them  a  reference  to  Ps.  2  :  6 ;  I  should  recognize 
them  as  simply  emphatic  of  the  truth  of  the  pro- 
phecy, as  if  they  said,  "There  were  gathered  in 
this  very  city. — Both  Herod  and  Pontius 
Pilate.  The  accompany- 
ing face  of  Herod  is  from 
an  ancient  coin.  Their 
union  against  Christ  is  nar- 
rated by  Luke  23  :  12.— 
Against  thy  holy  ser- 
vant Jesus.  The  word 
rendered  child  in  our  Eng- 
lish version  is  the  same 
(^Tiuis)  rendered  servant  in 
verse  25,  and  should  be  so  translated  here  ;  but 
it  is  not  the  same  which  Paul  so  frequently  em- 
ploys in  characterizing  himself  as  the  servant  of 

Jesus  Christ   (Rom.  l  :  l ;  Gal.  1  :  10  ;  Col.  4:12;   Sovlog). 

It  corresponds  to  the  French  term  garfon,  and  its 
nearest  equivalent  the  word  boy ;  it  is  rendered 

sometimes  servant  (Matt.  8:  6,8,  is  ;  12:18;  14:2;  Luke 
1 :  64)  ;  sometimes  child  or  Wn  (Matt,  n  :  18  ;  21  :  is ;  Luke 
2  :  43  ;  9  :  42  ;  John  4  :  51  ;  Acts  3  :  is).      Christ  iS  in   thiS   an 

example  to  the  Christian  that  he  is  both  son  and 
servant,  a  son  that  serves  (Heb.  lo :  7, 9). — Whom 
thou  hast  anointed.  Comp.  Heb.  1  :  9. 
Anointing  was  a  symbol  of  consecration,  both  to 
God  and  by  God.  This  consecration  was  visibly 
and  outwardly  symbolized  in  the  case  of  Jesus 
at  his  baptism  (Matt.  3 :  le,  n).  Anointing  in  the 
case  of  Jesus  signifies  not  his  royalty  {Hackett), 
but  his  priesthood.  Kings  were  not  always 
anointed,  the  high-priest  was,  and  to  the  Jew 
was  known  as  the  Anointed  One.  See  note  on 
The  Names  of  Jesus,  Vol.  I,  p.  57.— Both 
Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gen- 
tiles and  the  peoples  of  Israel.  Peoples 
plural,  not  people  singular.  The  reference  is 
either  to  the  different  tribes  of  Israel,  or,  less 
probably,  to  the  fact  that  they  were  now  scat- 
tered in,  and  came  from,  different  lands,  repre- 
senting different  nationalities.  Bengel  notes  the 
exact  parallel  between  the  prophecy  and  its  ful- 
fillment ;  Herod  answers  to  the  Kings,  Pilate  to 
the  Eulers,  the  Gentiles  here  to  the  Oenliles  in  the 


psalm,  and  the  peoples  of  Israel  here  to  the  peo- 
ple there.  The  Herod  mentioned  is  Herod  Anti- 
pas.  See  Vol.  I,  p.  58,  59.  This  verse  definitely 
applies  the  prophecy  of  David  to  these  recent 
events.  The  ground  of  the  disciples'  encour- 
agement was  twofold :  (1)  These  events,  how- 
ever surprising  and  saddening  to  them,  were 
not  unexpected  to  their  Divine  Master ;  and  (2) 
iu  the  resurrection  of  their  crucified  Lord,  in 
the  outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  the 
conversions  to  Christ,  greater  in  a  single  day 
than  during  his  whole  life,  they  had  experienced 
the  futility  of  the  concurrent  opposition  of  Jew 
and  Gentile,  king,  ruler  and  people  to  their 
King. 

28.  To  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy 
counsel  determined  before  to  be  done. 
In  respect  to  the  meaning  of  this  declaration,  it  is 
to  be  observed,  (1)  that  there  is  no  question  what- 
ever respecting  the  authenticity  of  the  verse  ;  (2) 
and  no  serious  question  respecting  the  transla- 
tion. Dr.  Adam  Clark  does  indeed  suggest  that 
the  second  clause  of  the  preceding  verse  should 
be  read  as  in  a  parenthesis  ;  thus  the  meaning  of 
the  declaration  would  be,  Herod,  Pontius  Pilate, 
etc.,  were  gathered  together  against  thy  holy 
servant  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  anomted,  to  do 
whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined 
before.  But  this  neither  accords  with  the  course 
of  thought,  nor  with  the  natural  construction  of 
the  original.  His  argument  that  it  is  "both  im- 
pious and  absurd"  to  suppose  that  "their  rage 
and  vain  counsel  would  be  such  as  God  himself  had 
determined  should  take  place,"  is  one  never  safe 
in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scripture  ;  we  are  to 
accept  what  Scripture  does  teach,  not  to  overrule, 
set  aside,  or  interpret  its  teachings  according  to 
our  conception  of  what  is  pious  and  rational.  (3. ) 
The  meaning  then  is  sufficiently  clear,  however 
mysterious  may  be  the  truth  it  enunciates.  The 
hand  of  God  is  his  power,  the  counsel  of  God  is 
his  wisdom ;  the  declaration,  as  in  ch.  2  :  23,  is 
that  tne  arrest,  condemnation  and  crucifixion  of 
Jesus  Christ,  though  wrought  by  the  rage  and 
vain  counsel  of  wicked  men,  fulfilled  the  divine 
purpose  and  was  carried  out  under,  and  subject 
to,  the  divine  control.  It  belongs  to  the  theo- 
logian, not  to  the  commentator,  to  consider  the 
relation  of  this  truth,  the  absolute  sovereign 
control  of  God  over  all  life,  to  the  freedom  and 
responsibility  of  the  individual ;  in  my  judgment, 
both  truths  are  taught  by  life  and  by  Scripture, 
but  their  reconciliation  transcends  the  limit  of 


Ch.  IV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


63 


30  By  stretching  forth  thine  hand  to  heal ;  and  that 
signs'  and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of  Lhy 
holy  child  Jesus. 

31  And  when    they  had   prayed,'  the   place    was 


shaken  where  they  were  assembled  together ;  and 
they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they » 
spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness. 


y  ch.  2  ;  43  ;  5  :  12  .  . . .  z  ch.  2  :  2,  4  ;  16  :  26  . . . 


I 


human  thought.  It  ought  perhaps  to  be  observed 
that  the  declaration  is  not  made  here  that  God 
determined  who  should  execute  his  purpose,  but 
only  that  the  deeds  done  were  what  he  had  deter- 
mined should  be  done. 

29,  30.  And  now,  Lord.  Now  is  not  merely 
a  conjunction,  but  an  adverb  of  time.  It  might 
be  rendered.  At  this  present  time. — Behold  their 
threatenings.  See  Exod.  3  :  7,  etc.  ;  2  Chron. 
16  :  9 ;  Isaiah  66  :  IS ;  Eccles.  5:8;  Hosea  7  :  2. 
— And  grant  unto  thy  servants.  Slaves  will 
represent  more  literally,  though  perhaps  less 
accurately,  the  meaning  {dovlog  not  JiaXe). — That 
with  all  boldness.  Plain-spokenness,  as  in  ch. 
4  :  13. — They  may  speak  thy  word  in 
stretching  forth  thy  hand  to  heal,  and 
that  signs  and  wonders  may  come  to 
pass.  That  is,  By  stretching  forth  thy  hand  to 
heal,  and  by  miracles  wrought  as  an  evident 
token  of  thy  presence  and  blessing,  impart  this 
courage. — In  the  name  of  thy  holy  servant 
Jesus.  To  his  glory,  not  to  their  own.  Observe, 
in  respect  to  this  prayer,  that  they  ask,  not  to  be 
rescued  from  persecution,  nor  to  be  relieved 
from  the  obligation  of  speaking,  nor  to  be 
avenged  on  their  enemies  or  God's,  nor  even  for 
greater  intelligence,  acumen  and  skill,  but  (1) 
that  they  may  continue  to  speak,  (2)  with  bold- 
ness, i.  e.,  freedom  and  courage  of  speech,  (3) 
the  word  of  God,  implying  a  request  for  a  con- 
tinual revelation  of  that  word  (John  14 :  26 ;  :5 :  26), 
attested  by  manifestations,  not  of  divine  justice, 
but  of  mercy,  (4)  to  the  glory  of  Christ's  name. 
31.  The  place  was  shaken.  Perhaps  by 
an  earthquake,  or  by  a  phenomenon  producing 
the  same  apparent  results.  Such  a  moving  of  the 
foundation  of  the  visible  world  would  be  a  nat- 
ural and  apt  sign  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
Him  who  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  to  whom 
the  world  and  all  therein  are  subject.  It  is 
recognized  by  heathen  writers  as  such  a  symbol. 
Thus  Virgil's  Eneid  3  :  89 : 

Grant  now. 
Father,  some  sign,  and  glide  into  our  souls. 
Scarce  had  I  spoke,  when  everything  around 
Suddenly  trembled,  all  the  sacred  doors 
And  laurels  of  the  god.    The  mountain  heaved. 
—  CrancJi's  Transl. 

It  is  also  referred  to  as  a  sign  of  the  divine  pres- 
ence in  the  O.  T.  (isaiah  2  :  19,  21  ;  13  :  13 ;  24  :  20  ;  Ezek. 
38  :  19  J  Joel  3  :  16  ;  Hag.  2  :  6,  7 ;  Hab.  3  :  6,  lo).      Comp.    alSO 

Christ's  employment  of  similar  symbolisms  in 
Matt.  24  :  29 ;  Mark  24  :  2.5.— They  were  all 
filled    with    the    Holy  Ghost,    and    they 


spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness. 

The  physical  sign  was  only  an  accompaniment  of 
the  spiritual  blessing.  They  had  prayed  for  the 
impartation  of  courage  of  speech  to  the  apostles 
(ver.  20) ;  it  was  bestowed  on  all.  Thus  was  indi- 
cated that  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  was  not 
confined  to  the  twelve,  but  all  were  to  witness  to 
Christ  with  apostolic  faith  and  courage. 

The  experience  of  the  aptistles  in  this  chapter 
illustrates  the  declaration  of  the  Psalmist  (Ps.  46 : 1), 
God  is  our  refuge  and  strength.  Comp.  this 
psalm  throughout,  and  with  it  Ps.  91 ;  121 ;  125. 
Appointed  without  previous  training,  to  repre- 
sent the  kingdom  of  God,  after  the  departure  of 
their  Lord,  the  apostles  are  surprised  by  a  popu- 
lar movement  which  adds  thousands  to  the  infant 
church.  In  the  midst  of  this  popular  uprising, 
they  are  brought  before  the  supreme  court, 
plead  Christ's  cause,  fail  to  win  the  court,  and 
are  forbidden  to  continue  preaching  to  the  peo- 
ple. The  court  has  apparently  ample  power  to 
compel  obedience.  In  this  exigency  they  seek 
refuge  in  God,  and  in  their  prayer,  which  is  less 
a  petition  or  ascription  of  praise,  than  a  commu- 
nion with  God,  they  dwell  upon  the  facts  that  he 
is  (1)  All-mighty — the  creator  of  the  universe, 
and  so  of  the  very  men  whose  opposition  threat- 
ens to  put  an  end  to  their  work  for  God ;  (2)  AU- 
wise — he  knew  and  centuries  past  foretold  the 
very  exigency  that  has  now  befallen  his  church  ; 
it  is  a  surprise  and  disappointment  to  them,  but 
not  to  Him  ;  (3)  All-controlling — the  very  events 
which,  humanly  speaking,  seem  so  disastrous, 
have  been  predetermined  by  Him  ;  the  very  ene- 
mies, whose  threatening  seems  so  ominous,  are, 
despite  themselves,  carrying  out  His  will.  The 
all-mighty,  the  all-wise,  the  all-sovereign  God,  is 
the  Christian's  refuge  in  time  of  trouble. 

Ch.  4  :  32-,S7.  FrRTHER  DESCRirTION  OF  THE  STATE 
OF  THE  CHURCH.— Its  chabacteristics  :  unity,  char- 
ity, GOSPEL  POWER,  DIVINE  GRACE. 

With  this  description  comp.  ch.  2  :  37-47  and 
notes ;  especially  for  consideration  of  primitive 
practice  of  community  of  goods.  Here  the  de- 
scription is  repeated,  partly  as  an  evidence  of  the 
divine  answer  to  prayer,  and  of  the  spiritual 
quickening  produced  by  the  threatening  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  partly  as  an  introduction  to  and 
explanation  of  the  story  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
in  ch.  5. 

32,  33.  Of  them  that  had  believed.  That 
is,  of  the  new  converts.  They  entered  into  and 
shared  the  life  of  the  company  which  they  joined, 


64 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


32  And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were 
of  one  heart ''  and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any  o/thetti 
that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  possessed  was  his 
own  ;  but  they  "^  had  all  things  common. 

33  And  with  great  power '^  gave  the  apostles  wit- 
ness' of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  :  and  great 
grace'  was  upon  them  all. 

^4  Neither  was  there  any  among  them  that  lacked  : 
for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses, 


sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices  of  the  things  that 
were  sold, 

35  And  laid  s  them  down  at  the  apostles'  feet :  and 
distribution ''  was  made  unto  every  man  according  as 
he  had  need. 

36  And  Joses,  who  by  the  apostles  was  surnamed 
Barnabas  (which  is,  being  interpreted,  The  son  of 
consolation),  a  Levite,  andoiihe  country  of  Cyprus, 

37  Having  land,  sold  it,  and  brought  the  money, 
and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet. 


b  Rom.  15  ;  5,  6;  2  Cor.  13:  11;   Phil.  8:2:    1  Pot.  3  :  8....C  cli.  2  :  44....d  ch.  1  :  8. . .  .e  ch.  1  :22;   Luke  11  :  48,  49.... f  John  1  :  16. 

g  ver.  31 ;  ch,  6  :  2. . .  .h  ch.  2  :  46 ;  6  :  1. 


and  which  Luke  has  already  described. — Were 
in  heart  and  in  life  one.  In  heart  is  in  aJBEec- 
tion;  in  life  ('/i/i'j)  is  in  their  inward  life,  their 
experience.  See  Matt.  22  :  37,  note.  The  true 
unity  of  the  members  of  the  church  is  not  in  out- 
ward circumstance,  nor  in  intellectual  ability,  but 
in  heart  sympathy  and  in  spiritual  life.  This 
unifying  power  of  Christ  in  the  heart,  overcom- 
ing all  obstacles  of  race,  nation,  language,  sex 
and  condition,  is  exemplified  in  John  11  :  52 ; 
PhU.  2  :  3,  3;  Col.  3  :  11;  Rev.  7  :  9.— Neither 
said  any  of  them  that  aught  of  the  things 
which  he  possessed  was  his  own.  Not 
"  Did  not  regard  it  as  his  own  "  {Barnes) ;  on  the 
contrary,  the  language  implies  that  the  individ- 
ual ownership  was  recognized  in  the  company, 
but  the  owner  did  not  claim  its  sole  use.  "  This 
very  expression  assumes  that  ownership  was  not 
entirely  abolished." —  (^msfeZ.)  — And  with 
great  power  gare  the  apostles  witness  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  This 
was  the  special  theme  of  their  early  ministry  (ch. 

2:  28-32;  3  :  21  ;  4  :  2,  10  ;  10  :  39,  40;  13  :  30-31  ;  11  :  31,32)  ;  the 

witness  was  given  by  the  apostles  because  they 
were  eye-witnesses  of  the  fact  (ver.  20 ;  ch.  i :  22) ; 
the  power  was  that  conferred  on  them  and  on 
their  word  by  the  special  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
(1  Thess.  1  : 5),  Three  evidences  of  this  gift  are 
here  mentioned,  and  always  accompany  a  true 
revival  of  religion  in  the  church,  viz.:  (1)  unity 
in  Christian  life,  (2)  practical  charity,  (3)  power 
in  preaching  the  Gospel. — And  great  grace 
was  upon  them  all.  The  same  word  rendered 
grace  {/(xqic)  here  is  rendered  favor  in  ch,  2  :  47. 
It  may  mean  here  either  favor  with  the  people 
{Olshausen,  Grotius),  or  grace  from  God  (Alford, 
Meyer,  Hackett).  The  latter  is  the  more  prob- 
able meaning.    See  John  1  :  16,  note. 

34,  35.  For  neither  was  there  any  among 
them  that  lived  in  want  *  *  *  *  And 
there  was  distributed  to  every  one  ac- 
cording as  each  had  need.  For,  not  rendered 
in  our  English  version,  indicates  in  this  verse  the 
reason  for  the  statement  in  the  preceding ;  their 
practical  charity  made  them  the  recipients  of 
both  divine  grace  and  popular  favor  (M.itt.  lO:  42; 
Luke  6 :  ss).  Observc  the  implication  that  the  rich 
did  not  give  everything  away,  for  then  they 
would  themselves  have  lived  in  want ;  and  that 


there  was  not  a  miscellaneous  distribution,  nor, 
in  strictness  of  speech,  a  communism,  but  only  a 
liberal  distribution  wherever  there  was  need.  If, 
however,  there  is  danger  of  misinterpreting  the 
apostolic  example,  there  is  greater  danger  of 
losing  the  apostolic  spirit.  Calvin's  note  is  ap- 
plicable to  our  times  :  "They  sold  in  times  past 
their  possessions,  there  reigneth  at  this  day  an 
insatiable  desire  to  buy.  Love  made  that  com- 
mon to  the  poor  and  needy  which  was  proper  to 
every  man;  such  is  the  unnaturalness  of  some 
men  now,  that  they  envy  the  poor  the  common 
dwelling  on  the  earth,  and  the  common  use  of 
water,  air  and  sky."  See  1  John  3  :  17,  18. — 
Lands  or  houses.  The  one  implies  estate  in 
the  country,  the  other,  perhaps,  in  the  city  ;  the 
earlier  cities  being  very  compact,  and  the  houses 
having  little  or  no  ground  attached  to  them. — 
And  brought  the  prices.  But  not  necessarily 
the  full  price  (ch.  3:4,  s). — Laid  them  down  at 
the  apostles'  feet.  Alford  supposes  that  "  the 
apostles,  like  the  prastor,  probably  sat  upon  a 
raised  seat,  on  the  step  of  which,  at  their  feet, 
the  money  was  laid  in  token  of  reverence."  This 
seems  to  me  purely  gratuitous,  and  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  simplicity  of  the  early  church.  Did 
the  apostles  carry  the  raised  seat  with  them  from 
house  to  house  ?  More  probably  the  expression 
is  simply  figurative,  to  signify  that  the  disciples 
committed  the  offering  wholly  to  the  apostles' 
care  ;  the  figure  is  taken  from  the  oriental  cus- 
tom of  laying  offerings  before  the  footstool  of 
kings. 

36,  37.  Joses,  who  by  the  apostles  was 
surnamed  Barnabas.  He  is  first  mentioned 
here  ;  whether  a  personal  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ 
is  not  known ;  he  brought  Paul  to  the  apostles 
(ch.  9 :  2i),  and  was  afterward  a  fellow-laborer  with 

him(ch.  11  :  25-30;  12  :  25  ;  13;  14;  16;  GaL  2  :  1-9). — A  Lc- 

vite.  Therefore,  under  the  old  Mosaic  Law, 
not  entitled  to  a  share  in  the  original  distribution 

of  the  land  (Numb.  18  :  20-24  ;  Dent.  10  :  8,  9).      But   after 

the  captivity  the  Levites  began  to  possess  land 
(.ler.  32 :  i),  and  probably  did  so  generally  at  this 
time.— Of  the  country  of  Cyprus.  For  some 
account  of  this  island,  see  ch.  11  :  19,  note.  The 
account  of  this  sale  and  gift  is  given  here  as  an 
introduction  to,  and  in  contrast  with,  the  fraud- 
ulent gift  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. 


Ch.  v.] 


THE  ACTS. 


G5 


CHAPTER  V. 


BUT  a  certain  man  named  Ananias,  with  Sapphira, 
his  wife,  sold  a  possession, 
2  And   kept  back  part  of  the   price,  his  wife  also 
being  privy  to  zV,  and  brought'  a  certain  part,  and  laid 
it  at  the  apostles  feet. 


3  But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  i  filled 
thine  heart  to  lie  to''  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep' 
bsLckpart  of  the  price  of  the  land  ? 

4  Whiles  it  remained,  was  it  not  thine  own  ?  and 
after  it  was  sold,  was  it  not  in  tliine  own  power?  Why 
hast  thou  conceived  this  thing  in  thine  heart?  thou 
hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto"  God. 


i  ch.  4  :  34,  37 j  Luke  22  :  3 k  verse  9 1  Numb.  36  :  2  ;  Deut.  23  :  21 ;  Ecclee.  5:4. 


Ch.  5  :  1-16.  SIN  AND  PUNISHMENT  OF  ANANIAS 
AND  SAPPHIKA,  AND  THE  RESULT.    "  The  hypocrites 

IN  HEART  HEAP  tJP  WRATH  "  (Job  36  :  13). — EFFECT  OF 
THE  JUDGMENT  :  IT  REPELS  HYPOCRITES  (13)  ;  ATTRACTS 
BELIEVERS  (14)  ;  EXTENDS  THE  FAME  OF  THE  GoSPEL 
(15,  16). 

The  time  of  this  occurrence  is  unknown  ;  prob- 
ably somewhere  between  A.  d.  S2  and  A.  D.  34. 
The  sin  and  punishment  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
adds  to  the  power  because  to  the  purity  of  the 
church,  and  leads  to  the  second  attempted  per- 
secution of  the  apostles,  who  are  imprisoned  and 
scourged,  but,  owing  to  the  counsel  of  Gamaliel, 
are  then  released. 

1,2.  But  a  certain  man.  But  marks  the 
transition  from  Barnabas  to  Ananias.  Such  con- 
trasts between  the  true  and  false  occur,  both  in 
God's  word  and  in  his  providence,  to  teach  the 
truth  more  clearly ;  e.  g.,  Saul  and  David,  the 
publican  and  the  Pharisee,  the  prodigal  son  and 
the  elder  brother,  the  five  Avise  and  the  five  fool- 
ish virgins.  There  is  no  ground  for  the  hypothe- 
sis that  Ananias  was  a  person  of  special  promi- 
nence in  the  church ;  rather  we  may  assume 
that,  like  Simon  Magus  (ch.  s :  is,  19),  he  endeav- 
ored to  purchase  prominence  with  his  money. — 
Ananias  with  Sapphira  his  wife.  Ananias 
means  Jehovah  is  gracious ;  Sapphira  either 
sapphire  or  beautiful.  "Their  names  were  fa- 
vorable and  beautiful ;  their  principles  bad." — 
{Bengel.) — His  wife  also  being  privy  to  it. 
The  falsehood  of  these  two  differs  from  that  of 
Peter  (Matt.  26 :  69-75)  not  only  in  the  motive — cov- 
etousness  in  the  one  case,  fear  in  the  other — not 
only  in  the  sin  indicated — hypocrisy  in  the  one 
case,  heedless  self-confidence  in  the  other — but 
also  in  its  very  nature  ;  the  falsehood  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  was  deliberate  and  preconcerted, 
that  of  Peter  unpremeditated.  "It  argues  an 
extreme  hardness  of  heart  when  two  persons, 
united  by  the  tenderest  bonds,  plan  a  lie  togeth- 
er, and  engage  to  support  each  other  in  carrying 
it  out. ' ' — {Arnot. )  There  is  small  ground  for  the 
hypothesis  of  Heniy  that  they  sold  the  land  in- 
tending to  devote  all  the  proceeds  to  the  poor, 
"  but  when  the  money  was  received  their  heart 
failed  them,  and  they  kept  back  part  of  the 
price."  Rather  the  inference  is  that  the  whole 
transaction  was  a  deliberate  and  concerted  false- 
hood.— And  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet. 
The  indications  are  that  this  was  done  at  and  as 


part  of  a  religious  service.  It  was  in  an  assem- 
bly of  the  believers ;  at  a  gathering  which  lasted 
three  hours  (ver.  7) ;  apparently  at  a  recognized 
meeting  of  the  church  (ver.  n) ;  the  object  of  the 
two,  credit  in  the  church,  could  have  been  at- 
tained only  by  a  public  offering ;  and  the  lie  is 
characterized  as  one  told  to  God,  not  to  man 
(ver. 4).  "Before  the  face  of  the  apostles,  there- 
fore, and  in  the  midst  of  that  solemn  assembly, 
engaged  in  prayer,  must  this  lie  have  been  ut- 
tered, for  otherwise  the  object  of  this  husband 
and  wife  could  not  have  been  gained." — {Baum- 
garten.) 

3,  4.  Why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  heart  ? 
Observe,  the  cause  of  the  overt  act  is  a  heart 
filled  with  sin.  For  that  is  why  Satan  fills  the 
heart.  See  Matt.  15  :  19,  and  Gal.  5  :  19-21.— 
To  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  There  is  no  inti- 
mation that  Ananias  had  directly  uttered  a  false- 
hood, as  did  his  wife  (ver.  s) ;  a  lie  in  action  may 
be  as  criminal  as  a  spoken  lie.  They  lied  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  not  merely  because  they  lied  to  the 
church,  which  was  the  body  of  Christ,  the  tem- 
ple of  God,  and  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  to 
the  apostles,  who  were  inspired  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  whose  divine  power  of  insight  they 
ignored,  but  because  the  offering  was  made,  not 
to  the  apostles,  nor  to  the  church,  but  to  God, 
and  the  act  was  thus  a  direct  falsehood  addressed 
to  Him. — While  it  remained  was  it  not 
thine  own  ?  Clearly  the  communism  of  the 
early  church  was  purely  voluntary.  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  could  have  retained  the  land,  or 
the  price,  or  any  part  of  it.  The  sin  consisted  in 
offering  a  part  as  the  whole.  How  Peter  knew 
that  only  a  part  was  offered  is  not  stated.  It 
may  have  been  by  natural  means,  or  by  divine 
revelation. — Why  hast  thou  conceived  this 
thing  in  thy  heart  ?  Literally,  Why  hast  thou 
put  in  thy  heart  this  thing?  For  meaning,  see 
Dan.  1:8;  Mai.  3  : 3.  We  are  not  responsible 
for  suggestions  which  Satan  addresses  to  our 
heart ;  he  addressed  evil  suggestions  to  Clirist 
(Matt.  4  : 3, 6, 9).  Wc  are  culpable  if  we  put  them 
in  our  heart,  ?.  e.,  give  them  admission  and  har- 
bor them. — Thou  hast  not  tied  nnto  men* 
but  unto  God.  That  is,  Not  merely  unto  men. 
See  Mark  9 :  37 ;  John  13  :  44.  It  is  clear  from  this 
sentence  that  the  death  punishment  was  not  in- 
flicted for  a  lie  told  to  men,  and  the  warning  of 
this  death  is  not  merely,  nor  mainly,  against 


66 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  V. 


5  And  Ananias,  hearing  these  words,"  fell  down,  and 
gave  up  the  ghost :  and  great  fear"  came  on  all  them 
"that  heard  these  things. 

6  And  the  young  men  arose,  wound  p  him  up,  and 
carried  hi>n  out,  and  buried  kim. 

7  And  it  was  about  the  space  of  three  hours  after, 
waen  his  wife,  not  knowing  what  was  done,  came  in. 


8  And  Peter  answered  unto  her.  Tell  me  whether  ye 
sold  the  land  for  so  much  ?  And  she  said,  Yea,  for  so 
much. 

9  Then  Peter  said  unto  her.  How  is  it  that  ye  have 
agreed  1  together  to  tempt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  ?  be- 
hold, the  feet  of  them  which  have  buried  thy  husband 
are  at  the  door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out. 


vers.  10,  n  ....  0  Ps.  64  :  9 p  John  19  :  40  ....  q  verse  2  ;  Ps.  50  :  18. 


falsehood.  See  below.  The  sin  was  the  lie  to 
Ood,  "Hypocrisy  makes  a  sober  jest  of  God 
and  religioD." — {Pope.)  In  Peter's  language  here 
Bengel  sees  a  couflrmation  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Deity  and  Personality  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  His 
Deity  it  certainly  demonstrates,  but  how  does  it 
bear  on  the  question  of  His  distinct  personality  ? 
5,  6.  And  Ananias  hearing  these  words, 
fell  down  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  Those 
who  criticise  the  severity  of  the  punishment  find 
fault  with  God.  It  appears  unduly  severe  only 
if  our  consciences  fail  to  judge  aright  the  heinous- 
ness  of  the  sin.  Observe,  (1)  That  no  sentence  is 
pronounced  by  Peter.  There  is  nothing  even  to 
indicate  that  he  anticipated  the  death  of  Ananias. 
The  death  of  Sapphira  he  foretold  (ver.  9),  but  he 
did  not  inflict.  There  is,  tlierefore,  nothing  in 
this  account  to  justify  the  church  in  inflicting 
temporal  punishments.  (2.)  The  death  of  Ana- 
nias, if  it  stood  alone,  might,  perhaps,  be  attrib- 
uted to  the  natural  effect  of  shame  and  remorse 
at  the  public  exposure  of  his  hypocrisy.  Coupled 
with  the  immediately  succeeding  death  of  his 
wife,  it  is  impossible  for  an  unprejudiced  reader 
to  doubt  that  it  was  the  special  and  direct  inflic- 
tion of  God.  In  this  the  punishment  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  differs  from  that  of  Achan  (josh.,  ch. ;), 
with  whose  sin  theirs  has-been  compared. — And 
theyoungmen.  Literaily, T/ieyoimgertneii.  Not 
a  class  of  officers,  for  there  is  no  evidence  of  any 
Buch  class  in  the  primitive  church,  but  simply  the 
younger  of  the  men  in  the  assembly.  The  religious 
service,  whatever  it  was,  continued ;  a  few  of  the 
younger  men  carried  out  and  buried  the  corpse. 
— Wound  him  up.  Enveloped  him  for  burial. 
It  was  customary  among  the  Jews  to  bury  the 
body  in  the  same  garment  used  in  life,  or  in  one 
resembling  it.  The  body  of  Ananias  was  prob- 
ably wrapped  in  his  own  burnoose.  That  it  was 
not  taken  to  his  home  is  indicated  by  his  wife's 
ignorance  of  what  had  occurred.  The  accom- 
panying cut  represents  a  body  thus  prepared  for 
burial  and  attended  by  hired  mourners  ;  it  repre- 
sents the  Moslem  oriental  burial  custom,  which 
is  probably  an  exact  copy  of  the  ancient  custom. 
— And  buried  him.  It  was,  and  in  the  East 
still  is,  customary  among  the  Jews  to  bury  soon 
after  death,  ordinarily  on  the  same  day,  partly 
because  decomposition  takes  place  rapidly  in  the 
warm  climate  of  Palestine,  partly  because  of  the 
peculiar  Jewish   feeling   respecting  defilement 


PREPAIiED    FOR    BUKIAX. 

from  the  dead  (Numb.  19 :  11,  etc).  Burial  was  prob- 
ably hastened  somewhat  in  this  case,  and  the 
body  interred  without  the  honors— washing, 
anointing,  etc. — ordinarily  paid  to  the  dead  (john 
19 :  39, 40).  Interments  were  outside  the  city  walls ; 
to  take  the  corpse  to  the  burial-place  and  inter  it 
would  therefore  probably  occupy  the  three  hours 
referred  to  in  the  next  verse  ;  and  not  more  than 
that,  as  no  grave  would  have  to  be  dug,  entomb- 
ment being  generally  in  caves. 

7,  8.  About  the  space  of  three  hours 
*  *  *  came  in.  The  implication  is  that  she 
came  into  the  Christian  assembly,  which  was 
still  in  session.— Answered  her.  Possibly,  An- 
swered her  salutation ;  but  the  phrase  is  a  com- 
mon Hebraistic  one,  indicating  simply  the  com- 
mencement of  a  speech  or  of  conversation  (job  3 : 2, 

raar;mal  reading;   6  :  1,  etc. ;  Isaiah  21  :  9). — Tell    me,  etC. 

Thorough  trial  precedes  judgment,  and  an  oppor- 
tunity is  given  for  repentance. — Yea,  for  so 
much.  The  lie  in  action  leads  to  a  lie  spoken. 
"A  willful  falsehood  is  a  cripple  and  cannot  stand 
alone.  It  is  easy  to  tell  one  lie,  hard  to  tell  but 
one  lie." — (Fuller.) 

9-11.  That  ye  have  agreed  together  to 
tempt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  That  is,  to 
make  trial ;  to  prove  whether  there  is  a  divine 
Spirit,  and  what  is  his  knowledge.  Comp.  Judges 
0  :  39 ;  Luke  11  :  16 ;  20  :  23.  Their  action  in- 
volved a  practical  if  not  a  theoretical  disbelief  in 


Ch.  v.] 


THE  ACTS. 


67 


10  Then  fell '  she  down  straightway  at  his  feet,  and 
yielded  up  the  ghost :  and  the  young  men  came  in,  and 
found  her  dead,  and,  carrying  her  forth,  buried  her  by 
her  husband. 

11  And  great'  fear  came  upon  all  the  church,  and 
upon  as  many  as  heard  these  things. 


12  And  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles  were  many* 
signs  and  wonders  wrought  among  the  people  (and 
they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  Solomon  s  porch. 

13  And"  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to 
them :  but'  the  people  magnified  them. 


r  verse  5  . . .  .  s  ch.  2  :  43 t  ch.  4  :  30  ;  Rom.  15:19;  Heb.  2  :  4 ....  u  John  12  :  42 ....  v  ch.  4  :  21. 


the  presence  and  omniscience  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  to  whom  they  had  offered  a  part,  seeking 
credit  for  the  whole. — The  feet  of  them  *  * 
*  are  at  the  door.  Not  that  Peter  heard  the 
tread  of  the  young  men  returning ;  not  even,  ne- 
cessarily, that  they  had  just  then  returned ;  they 
may  have  been  standing  without  some  time.  The 
feet  is  a  common  expression  for  the  person  of  a 

messenger  or  carrier  (isaiah  52  :  7  ;  Nah.  1  :  15  ;  Rom.  10 :  15). 

— Shall  carry  thee  out.  This  is  not  a  sentence 
of  death.  Peter  speaks  as  a  prophet,  not  as  a 
judge  ;  he  does  not  give  sentence,  he  foretells. — 
Buried  her  by  her  husband.  Perhaps  both 
were  laid  in  the  family  tomb.  Being  aj^parently 
a  family  of  competence,  they  would  probably 
have  possessed  such  a  tomb. — And  great  fear 
came  upon  the  church.  Fear  of  the  Lord, 
which  is  the  beginning  of  knowledge  (Prov.  1 : 7). 

The  sin  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. — This 
was  not  merehj  falsehood,  and  the  warning 
is  not  primarily  to  the  liar  (see  on  ver.  4) ;  nor 
was  it  the   same  as  that  of  Achau   or  Gehazi 

(josh.,  ch.  7  ;   2  Kings  5  :  20-24),    With    both    Of    Which    it 

has  been  comj^ared ;  nor  was  it  merely  the  sin  of 
attempting  to  serve  two  masters  (Matt.  6  •  24), 
though  Augustine's  comment  is  certainly  perti- 
nent, "Woe  to  the  double  mind  that  shares  God's 
own ;  half  to  him,  half  to  the  devil."  It  was  the 
first  incursion  of  Pharisaism  in  the  primitive 
church,  the  first  manifestation  of  that  spirit  of 
hypocrisy,  the  essence  of  which  is  lying  to  God, 
which  does  its  righteousness  to  be  seen  of  men 
(Matt.  6 : 1),  against  which  Christ  had  so  earnestly 
warned  his  followers  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
(comp.  Luke  12:  i)  and  Invcighed  in  his  last  words  in 
the  Temple  (Matt.,  ch.  23).  Of  all  sins,  this  is  the 
worst;  "the  only  sin  that  cannot  be  forgiven  is 
hypocrisy"  {HazUU)\  of  all  sins,  it  is,  to  the 
church,  the  most  insidious  and  the  most  danger- 
ous; "when  religion  is  in  request,  it  (hypocrisy) 
is  the  chief  malady  of  the  church  and  numbers 
die  of  it,  though,  because  it  is  a  subtle  and  inward 
evil,  it  be  little  perceived." — {Bishop  Hall.)  The 
punishment  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  contrasts 
but  does  not  conflict  with  Luke  9  :  52-56 ;  for 
there  the  disciples  proposed  to  destroy  a  village 
which,  ignorant  of  Christ's  true  character,  re- 
fused him  hospitality  because  he  was  a  Jew ;  here 
God  struck  dead  professed  disciples  who  did 
their  works  to  be  seen  of  men.  He  has  infinite 
patience  with  ignorance  and  prejudice,  but  not 
with  deliberate  hypocrisy  and  false  pretence.    It 


teaches  the  same  lesson  as  the  punishment  inflict- 
ed in  the  cases  of  Achan  (josu.,  ch.  7),  Nadab  and 
Abihu  (Lev.  10 : 1, 2),  Korah  and  his  company  (Nmnb. 
16 :  31-33),  the  man  who  violated  the  Sabbath  (Numb. 

15:32-36),    UzZah    (2  Sam.  6 :  6-8),    aild    OthcrS,     all    Of 

them  iUustratmg  Rom.  11  :  22  and  1  Pet.  4  :  17. 
It  is  a  solemn  testimony  to  God's  abhorrence  of 
all  false  pretence  in  his  service,  and  symbolically 
teaches  that  the  end  of  hypocrisy  is  death. 

12.  In  the  following  verses  (12-14)  Luke,  for  the 
third  time,  gives,  in  a  brief  summary,  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  state  of  the  church,  adding  here  some 
account  of  the  excitement  in  the  community. 
Comp.  ch.  2  :  41-t7 ;  4  :  31-35.— Many  portents 
and  signs.  The  first  word  strictly  implies 
something  foreboding  of  the  future,  as  the  death 
of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  warned  of  a  future 
judgment  against  all  hypocrisy  in  the  church ; 
the  second  word  indicates  any  event  constituting 
a  sign  of  the  divine  presence.  See  2  :  22,  note. — 
And  they  were  all  with  one  accord.  Ac- 
cord, not  only  in  being  there,  but  in  the  purpose 
with  which  they  were  there,  viz.,  to  preach  the 
gospel.  See  ch.  1 :  14,  note.  The  "  all  "  are  here 
the  apostles  (so  Alford,  Olshausen,  Hackett); 
clearly  not  the  people,  nor,  as  Bengel  and  Meyer, 
all  believers,  for  the  believers  are  not  the  subject 
of  the  sentence,  nor  is  it  reasonable  to  believe 
that  all,  to  the  number  of  several  thousands, 
would  have  assembled  in  Solomon's  porch,  nor 
would  there  have  been  any  advantage  in  their  so 
doing ;  this  would  indeed  have  impeded  the  work 
of  the  ministry.— In  Solomon's  porch.  For 
description  of  Temple  and  plan,  see  John  2  :  19, 
20;  for  illustration,  Matt.,  ch.  2L  Solomon's 
porch,  minutely  described  by  Josephus  (jVnt.  15 :  11, 
§  s),  consisted  of  a  nave  and  two  aisles,  that  toward 
the  Temple  being  open,  that  toward  the  country 
closed  by  a  wall.  The  breadth  of  the  centre  aisle 
was  45  feet ;  of  the  side  aisles,  30  feet  from  centre 
to  centre  of  the  pillars  ;  their  height  was  50  feet, 
that  of  the  centre  aisle  100  feet ;  the  total  length 
was  600  feet.  The  roof  of  cedar,  elaborately  carved, 
was  supported  by  162  columns,  arranged  in  four 
rows,  forty  in  each  row,  the  two  additional  pillars 
standing  apparently  at  the  end  of  the  bridge  lead- 
ing over  the  ravine  which  separated  the  site  of  the 
Temple  from  that  of  Herod's  palace.  The  floor 
was  a  mosaic  of  many-colored  stones.  Josephus 
says  that  this  porch  was  built  by  Solomon,  hence 
its  name.  But  this  statement  is  very  doubtful, 
there  is  no  evidence  to  support  it,  and  the  better 


68 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  V. 


14  And  believers  were  the  more  added  to  the  Lord, 
multitudes"  both  of  men  and  women.) 

15  Insomuch  that  they  brought  forth  the  sick  into 


the  streets,  and  laid  them  on  beds  and  couches,  that  at 
the  least  the  shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  might  over- 
shadow some  of  them. 


SOLOMON'S   PORCH. 


opinion  is  that  it  was  bailt  in  the  time  and  under 
the  direction  of  Herod  the  Great,  by  whom  the 
entire  Temple  was  rebuilt.  The  accompanying 
illustration,  from  a  sketch  by  Mr.  A.  L.  Rawson, 
is  designed  to  present  rather  an  aid  to  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  reader  than  any  absolute  information 
as  to  the  exact  architectural  style  of  the  struc- 
ture, of  which,  of  course,  there  are  no  remains. 
The  object  of  the  apostles  in  going  to  this  porch 
was  to  preach  the  Gospel.  See  ver.  35,  and 
comp.  ch.  3  :  12,  etc.,  and  Luke  19  :  47. 

13, 14.  And  of  the  rest  durst  no  one  join 
himself  to  them.  Alford's  interpretation 
eeems to  me  extraordinary,  "Of  the  rest, whether 
believers  or  not,  none  dared  to  join  himself  to,  as 
being  one  of  or  equal  to  them  (the  apostles) ;  but, 
so  far  was  this  from  being  the  case,  that  the  very 
people  (the  multitude)  magnified  them."  This 
eeems  to  me  to  be  inconsistent  (1)  with  the  con- 
text. The  rest  is  in  contrast  with  the  all  of  the 
preceding  verse ;  and  they  (the  disciples)  were 
all  in  Solomon's  porch,  and  of  the  rest  (not  dis- 
ciples) durst  no  one,  etc.    (3. )  With  the  free  spirit 


of  the  early  church,  in  which  there  was  great  rev- 
erence for  the  Lord,  but  no  such  fear  of  man, 
against  which  the  apostolic  instructions  espe- 
cially guard.  (3.)  With  the  meaning  of  the  Greek 
verb  rendered  join  to  (y.oXlum),  which  does  not 
carry  with  it  any  idea  of  oflBcial  or  even  necessa- 
rily personal  equality  and  companionship  (Luke 

15:15;   Acts  8:  29  J   9:26;    1  Cor.  6  :  16,  17).      (4.)    With    the 

express  language  of  the  next  verse,  which  implies 
that  this  very  fear  increased  the  number  of  be- 
lievers. I  understand,  then,  the  rest  to  refer,  as 
in  Rom.  11  :  7  ;  Ephes.  3  :  3 ;  1  Thess.  4  :  13 ;  5  :6, 
to  those  without  the  church  and  the  covenant  of 
God,  and  the  meaning  to  be  that,  after  the  death 
of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  none  such  dared  to  join 
themselves  to  the  church  under  pretence  of  an 
experience  of  faith  and  consecration.  Nor  is  this 
inconsistent  with  the  further  declaration  that  the 
people,  even  those  who  did  not  heartily  accept 
and  consecrate  themselves  to  the  Lord,  still  mag- 
nified the  apostles  and  the  church,  both  for  their 
power  and  their  grace.  So  Arnot,  "  Those  who 
were  not  of  them  dared  not  pretend  to  be  or 


Ch.  v.] 


THE  ACTS. 


69 


i6  There  came  also  a  multitude  out  of  the  cities 
round  about  unto  Jerusalem,  bringing  siclj  ^  folks,  and 
them  which  were  vexed  with  unclean  spirits:  and  they  ^ 
were  healed  every  one. 

17  Then  the  high  priest  rose  up,  and  aU  they  that 


were  with  him,  (which  is  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees,') 
and  were  filled  with  indignation, 

18  And  laid  tlieir  hands  on  the  apostles,  and  put  them 
in  the  common  prison. » 


X  Mark  16  :  17,  18 ;  John  14  :  12  ....  y  1  Cor.  12  :  9, 28  .  .  . . »  ch.  4  :  1,  2 . . . .  a  ch.  12  :  5-7  ;  16  :  23-27. 


them.  The  stroke  of  judgment  scared  the  hypo- 
crites ;  but  believers  came  flowing  in  like  a 
stream."  — But  believers  were  the  more 
added  to  the  Lord.  The  more  because  of  this 
fear  ;  it  repelled  hypocrites ;  it  attracted  believ- 
ers.— Multitudes  of  both  men  and  women. 
Multihides,  for  then,  as  now,  religious  life  flows 
and  ebbs  in  currents ;  men,  because  the  strong  in 
their  pride  were  bowed  down;  wom£7i,  because 
the  Gospel  both  owns,  and  elevates,  and  enfran- 
chises woman. 

15, 16.  Insomnch  that  they  brought  forth 
the  sick.  Not  that  the  believers  did  this.  The 
verb  is  impersonal  and  the  meaning  is  simply 
that  the  sick  were  brought  forth. — Into  the 
streets.  Literally,  the  broad  streets.  The  word 
(jtluTdJ:)  is  used  in  contrast  with  lanes  in  Luke 
14  :  21. — Upon  couches  and  beds.  The  for- 
mer {x/.lrtj)  was,  in  strictness  of  speech,  a  high 
bedstead,  resembling  a  modern,  so-called  French 
bedstead  (see  Smith's  Diet,  of  Ant.,  art.  Lectus) ; 
the  latter  (;fo«(*^«ro<r)  was,  in  form,  like  our  mod- 
ern trundle-bed.  See  illustration  in  Mark  (ch.  2 : 4). 
Here,  however,  the  words  are  probably  used  only 
pictorially,  to  indicate  to  the  imagination  various 
kinds  of  beds,  as  various  classes  of  people. — 
That  at  least  the  shadow  of  Peter  passing 
by  might  overshadow  some  of  them.  I  do 
not  see  the  least  evidence  that  any  were  thus 
healed  by  his  shadow.  Such  healing  does  not 
consort  with  God's  method  of  cure  in  other  cases. 
I  have  endeavored  to  show  that  in  the  apparently 
analogous  case  of  the  woman  with  an  issue  of 
blood,  she  was  healed,  not  by  touching  Christ's 
garment,  but  by  his  conscious  forth-putting  of 
power.  See  Mark  5  :  25-34,  notes.  In  Acts  19  :  12, 
where  the  sick  were  healed  by  handkerchiefs 
brought  from  Paul,  the  implication  is  that  they 
could  not  conveniently  come  to  him,  nor  he  to 
them,  and  that  the  cure  was  wrought  by  his  con- 
scious act.  It  is  not  to  the  purpose  to  say,  as  Al- 
ford,  "Cannot  the  Creator  Spirit  work  with  any 
instruments,  or  with  none,  as  pleases  Him  ? " 
The  question  is  not  what  he  can  do,  but  what 
the  Scripture  asserts  that  he  has  done,  and  there 
is  no  such  assertion  here.  Nor  is  this  implied  by 
the  connection,  as  Baumgarten  argues.  For  we 
are  not  told  it  "  in  the  midst  of  a  passage  which 
evidently  is  intended  to  convey  a  notion  of  the 
infinite  miraculous  operations  of  the  Apostle," 
hut  in  one  intended  to  convey  a  suggestion  of 
the  effects  of  the  apostolic  miracles  on  the  entire 
community ;    these    repelled    some,    attracted 


others,  awoke  a  superstitious  trust  in  the  magical 
eflScacy  of  Peter's  shadow  in  some,  and  a  lively 
faith  in  the  power  of  God  in  and  through  him,  in 
others.  The  next  verse,  which  asserts  that  he 
healed  those  who  were  brought  to  him,  rather 
implies  that  those  who  trusted  in  his  shadow  were 
not  healed. — Out  of  the  cities  round  about. 
This  indicates  the  extent  to  which  the  fame  of 
the  Gospel  spread,  and  also  that  some  time 
elapsed  before  the  second  arrest  of  the  apostles 
described  in  the  next  verse. — Unclean  spirits. 
On  demoniacal  possession,  see  note  on  Matt.,  ch. 
8  :  28-34,  Vol.  I,  p.  123. 

Ch.  5  :  17-42.  IMPRISONMENT,  MIRACULOUS  LIBER- 
ATION,  TRIAL,  DEFENCE,  AND  FINAL  DELIVERANCE 
OF  THE  APOSTLES.    The  triumphs  op  Chbistiakity 

ENRAGE  ITS  DETERMINED  FOES  (VSrS.  17,  33).— THE 
POWER  OF   THE   LORD  TO   SUCCOUR   HIS   OWN   (verS.    19, 

23,  34-40). — The  mission  of  the  ministry  (30).— The 
Gospel  popular  with  the  unprejudiced  (26). — The 

INCONSISTENCT  OF  THE  WICKED  (28,  wlth  Matt.  27 :  25). 

The  apostles'  creed  (29-32).— A  Chbist-like  glort- 

INQ  IN   shame  (41). 

17.  But  the  high-priest  rising  up.    The 

effect  of  the  apostolic  miracles  on  the  ecclesias- 
tical dignitaries  is  stated  in  contrast  with  the 
popular  enthusiasm.  This  "  rising  up  "  was  not 
to  speak  before  the  council,  for  that  was  not  yet 
assembled;  the  language  is  simply  expressive  of 
the  high-priest's  anger.  Whether  Caiaphas  or  An- 
nas is  meant  is  uncertain ;  ch.  4  :  6  indicates  the 
latter.  See  note  there  and  on  Luke  3  :  2. — And 
all  they  that  were  with  him.  That  is,  who 
agreed  with  him  in  feeling  and  doctrine,  as  ex- 
plained by  the  next  clause. — Who,  being  of 
the  sect  of  the  Sadducees,were  iilled  with 
heat.  The  word  (ui]Aoc)  rendered  indignation,  is 
from  a  verb  meaning  to  boil,  and  is  used  in  the 
N.  T.  in  both  a  good  and  a  bad  sense,  being  ren- 
dered  by  zeal  (john  2  :  l?  ;  Rom.  10:2;  Col.  4  :  13),  fervetlt 

mind  (2  Cor.  1 : 7),  envy  (Acu  13 :  45 ;  Rom.  13 ;  13,  etc.)  and 
jealousy  (2  Cor.  11 : 2).  The  Sadducees  denied  both 
Spirit  and  resurrection  (see  Matt.  3 : 7,  note) ;  and  that 
these  were  Sadducees  is  stated  in  explanation  of 
their  special  heat  against  the  apostles,  the  central 
truth  of  whose  preaching  was  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  from  the  dead.  It  appears  from  Josephus 
(Antiq.  20 :  9,  i)  that  Sadducccs  wcrc  appointed  to 
the  oflSce  of  high-priest;  the  son  of  Annas  and 
nephew  of  Caiaphas,  who  was  appointed  shortly 
subsequent  to  these  events,  was  a  Sadducee  ;  they 
were  severe  and  vindictive  in  their  judgmente, 


70 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  V. 


19  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  by  night  opened  the 
prison  doors,  and  brought  them  forth,  and  said, 

20  Go,  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the  people 
all''  the  words'^  of  this  life. 

21  And  when  they  heard  that^  they  entered  into  the 
temple  early  in  the  morning,  and  taught.  But  "^  the 
high  priest  came,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  and 
called  the  council  together,  and  all  the  senate  of  the 


children  of  Israel,  and  sent  to  the  prison  to  have  them 
brought. 

22  But  when  the  officers  came,  and  found  them  not 
in  the  prison,  they  returned  and  told, 

23  Saying,  The  prison  truly  found  we  shut  with  all 
safety,  and  the  keepers  standing  without  before  the 
doors :  but  when  we  had  opened,  we  found  no  man 
within. 


b  Eiod.  24  :  3 c  Jolin  6  :  63,  68  ;  17  :  8  . . . .  d  ch.  4  :  5,  ( 


while  the  administration  of  the  Pharisees  was  of 
a  more  conservative  and  humane  character. 

18.  And  laid  their  hands  on  the  apos- 
tles. Not  directly,  but  sending  the  Temple  police 
to  arrest  them.— And  put  them  in  a  common 
prison.  Rather,  .9 (^«*d-/iOMse;  probably  a  room 
connected  with  the  Temple.  Imprisonment  was 
not  practiced  among  the  Greeks  as  a  punishment, 
and  rarely  among  the  Romans  or  the  Jews.  In 
this  case  the  apostles  were  simply  confined  until 
the  morning  should  give  opportunity  for  conven- 
ing the  Sanhedrim  for  their  trial.  On  the  Roman 
prisons,  see  Acts  12  : 4  and  16  :  24. 

19,  20.  But  an  angel  of  the  Lord  by 
night.  Some  time  during  the  night.  Observe, 
not  the,  angel  of  the  Lord,  a  phrase  used  in  the 
O.  T.,  as  I  believe,  of  One  only,  viz.,  the  Son  of 
God  himself,  but  an  angel,  i,  e.,  a  messenger.  A 
similar  supernatural  deliverance  'is  described  in 
much  greater  detail  in  ch.  12.  It  has  been  ob- 
jected to  as  a  needless  interposition  of  God, 
since  the  divine  protection  did  not  prevent  the 
immediate  rearrest  of  the  apostles  (ver.  26).  The 
same  objection  applies  with  equal  force  to  the 
falling  back  to  the  ground  of  the  soldiers  who 
came  to  arrest  Jesus  (john  is :  e),  to  the  deliver- 
ance of  Peter,  who  was  subsequently  crucified, 
and  indeed  to  eveiy  divine  deliverance  from 
death,  since  death  is  finally  the  lot  of  all.  In 
th*  present  case  the  deliverance  of  the  apostles 
gave  them  both  opportunity  and  courage  to 
plead  for  the  truth  before  the  Sanhedrim. — And 
brought  them  forth  and  said.  "  The  angel 
opened  the  prison,  and  carried  to  the  prisoners 
the  Master's  message  that  they  should  continue 
to  preach  the  Gospel ;  but  the  angel  himself 
does  not  preach.  You  never  find  an  angel  call- 
ing on  sinners  to  repent." — (Arnot.) — All  the 
words  of  this  life.  By  tJiis  life  is  meant,  not 
the  earthly  life,  for  this  had  not  been  the  theme 
of  the  apostles'  preaching;  nor  the  future  life 
merely,  though  in  a  sense  both  would  be  includ- 
ed ;  but  the  spiritual  and  therefore  immortal  life, 
the  life  which  Jesus  Christ  came  to  bring  to  light 
(2  Tim.  1 :  lo).  The  cxprcssion  should  not  be  ren- 
dered, as  Bengel,  T/wse  words  of  life.  See  Winer, 
§  346.  Observe  the  theme  of  the  apostles'  min- 
istry :  instruction  respecting  immortal  life,  both 
here  and  hereafter,  and  respecting  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  One  who  both  manifests  it  and  renders  it 
possible  to  those  that  believe  in  him. 


21.  They  entered  into  the  temple  at 
early  morn.  "  The  people  of  the  East  com- 
mence the  day  much  earlier  than  is  customary 
with  us.  The  arrangements  of  life  there  adjust 
themselves  to  the  character  of  the  climate. 
During  a  great  part  of  the  year  in  Palestine,  the 
heat  becomes  oppressive  soon  after  sunrise,  and 
the  inhabitants  therefore  assign  their  most  im- 
portant duties  and  labors  to  the  early  hours  of 
the  day.  Nothing  is  more  common  at  the  pres- 
ent time  than  to  see  the  villagers  going  forth  to 
their  employment  in  the  fields  while  the  night 
and  the  day  are  stUl  struggling  with  each  other. 
Worship  is  often  performed  in  the  synagogue  at 
Jerusalem  before  the  sun  appears  above  Olivet." 
— (ffackett.)— 'But  the  high-priest  came.  To 
the  Temple.  This  being  a  large  collection  of 
buildings  and  courts,  covering  many  acres,  the 
apostolic  teaching  might  have  been  going  on  in 
Solomon's  porch,  and  the  high -priest  and  the 
Sanhedrim,  assembling  in  one  of  the  side  build- 
ings, have  known  nothing  of  it. — And  they 
that  were  with  him.  This  indicates,  if  not  a 
packed  meeting,  at  least  a  preconcerted  move- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  Sadducees  to  condemn 
and  destroy  the  apostles. — And  called  the 
council  together.  The  Sanhedrim.  See,  on 
its  character  and  customs,  Matt.  26  :  57-68,  note, 
Vol.  I,  p.  298.— And  all  the  senate.  Literal- 
ly, Eldership,  These  were  the  lay  members  of 
the  council  (see  Matt.  16 :  21,  note).  The  Greek  word 
here  rendered  senate  (yioovaia)  occurs  nowhere 
else  in  the  N.  T.  Alford  suggests  that  it  may 
be  borrowed  from  the  form  of  words  in  which 
they  were  summoned. 

22-24.  The  prison  truly  we  found  shut 
in  all  security.  That  is.  We  found  it  closed 
and  securely  locked. — And  the  guards  stand- 
ing at  the  door.  Probably  Temple  police,  left 
to  keep  watch.— Now  when  the  high-priest, 
etc.  There  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  mean- 
ing. Tischendorf  omits  the  word  high-priest; 
Alford  retains  it.  The  captain  of  the  Temple  is  the 
chief  of  the  Temple  police,  present  probably  in 
his  official  capacity ;  perhaps  he  was  called  to 
explain  the  disappearance  of  the  prisoners. — 
Doubted  of  them.  That  is,  Were  in  perplex- 
ity concerning  the  report  thus  made  to  them. — 
Whereunto  this  would  grow.  That  is.  What 
would  come  of  it.  They  were  probably  equally 
perplexed  to  understand  how  the  apostles  could 


Ch.  v.] 


THE  ACTS. 


71 


24  Now  when  the  high  priest  and  the  «  captain  of  the 
temple  and  the  chief  priests  heard  these  things,  they 
doubted  of  them  whereunto  this  would  grow. 

25  Then  came  one  and  told  them,  saying,  Behold, 
the  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison  are  standing  in  the 
temple,  and  teaching  the  people. 

26  Then  went  the  captain  with  the  officers,  and 
brought  them  without  violence  :  for  they '  feared  the 
people,  lest  they  should  have  been  stoned. 


27  And  when  they  had  brought  them,  they  set  them 
before  the  council  :  and  the  high  priest  asked  them, 

28  Saying,  Did  not  we?  straitly  command  you,  that 
ye  should  not  teach  in  this  name  ?  and,  behold,  ye  have 
filled  Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring 
this  man's  blood  ■■  upon  us. 

29  Then  Teter  and  the  other  apostles  answered  and 
said,  We'  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men. 


e  ch.  4  : ! f  Matt.  21  : 


.  g  ch.  4  :  18 h  ch.  2  :  23,  36  ;  7  :  52  ;  Matt.  27  :  25 1  ch.  4  :  19. 


have  made  their  escape,  and  to  foresee  what 
would  be  the  result  thereof.  Observe  how  the 
circumstance  as  attested  by  this  examination 
demonstrated  the  supernatural  character  of  the 
deliverance  ;  the  prison  doors  securely  fastened, 
the  prison  guards  before  the  door,  and  yet  the 
prisoners  released. 

25,  26.  Then  came  one.  Apparently  un- 
conscious of  the  perplexity  of  the  council,  but 
surprised  to  find  the  imprisoned  apostles  pub- 
licly teaching  in  the  temple.  This  fact  demon- 
strated that  they  were  not  endeavoring  to  es- 
cape, and  yet  that  they  had  no  intention  of  yield- 
ing to  the  prohibition  of  the  council. — The  cap- 
tain with  the  officers.  With  the  subordinate 
police. — For  they  feared  the  people.  One 
of  the  many  indications  in  the  N.  T.  that  Christ 
and  his  truth  were  attractive  to  the  common 
people,  and  that  the  opposition  was  instigated 
and  persecution  inaugurated  by  interested  rul- 
ers. Men  are  not  by  nature  wholly  averse  to  the 
truth  ;  they  are  attracted  by  it,  and  are  opposed 
to  it  only  as  it  opposes  their  self-interest  or  their 
pride. 

2T,  28.  We  straitway  commanded  you. 
So  Alford  and  Tischendorf  read,  instead  of  inter- 
rogating, as  in  our  English  version.  The  lan- 
guage is  literally,  With  proclamation  we  proclaimed 
to  yoit,,  i.  e.,  officially,  as  magistrates. — In  this 
name  *  *  *  this  man's  blood.  Observe 
that  the  priests  do  not  speak  the  name  of  Jesus. 
Was  this  a  superstitious  dread,  an  unconscious 
feeling  that  it  might  be  the  Messiah  whom  they 
had  put  to  death?  or  merely  the  reluctance  of 
murderers  to  speak  directly  of  their  victim  ?  or 
simply  a  sign  of  their  contempt  ?  Contrast  Pe- 
ter's glorying  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  (so,  m). 
—Ye  have  tilled  Jerusalem  Avith  your 
teaching.  Not,  doctrine.  The  Jerusalemites 
had  not  generally  accepted  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  but  all  Jerusalem  was  full  of  the  fame 
of  the  apostles'  teaching.  Not  the  truth,  but  the 
report  of  the  truth,  filled  Jerusalem. — And  in- 
tend to  bring  this  man's  blood  upon  us. 
Not,  as  Alford  seems  to  imply,  You  intend  to 
incite  the  people  to  vengeance ;  there  had  been 
absolutely  nothing  in  the  apostolic  teaching  to 
give  color  to  such  a  charge  or  occasion  for  such 
a  fear ;  nor,  You  intend  to  bring  us  into  divine 
judgment  and  punishment ;  for  apostolic  preach- 


ing could  not  do  this  ;  but,  Tou  intend  to  hold 
us  before  the  people,  answerable  for  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  the  Messiah  of  Israel ;  for  this  was  the 

effect    of    Peter's    preaching    (ch.  2  :  36;  3  :  14;   5  :  30'; 

ver.  30).  Publicly,  before  Pilate,  these  same  priests 
had  taken  Christ's  blood  upon  them  (Matt.  2: :  25), 
agreeing  to  be  answerable  for  it,  both  as  before 
God  and  man.  In  a  true  sense  the  apostles  would 
fain  have  brought  this  man's  blood  on  the  rulers 
for  the  cleansing  of  their  sin  (Rom.  3 :  25 ;  Ephes.  1 : 7 ; 
Col.  1 :  14) ;  but  they  would  not  accept  it. 

29.  The  address  which  follows  is  almost  in 
the  nature  of  a  syllogism  ;  its  logic  is  unanswet*- 
able.  (1)  We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than 
man ;  (3)  Israel's  God  has  raised  and  exalted 
Jesus,  whom  ye  slew ;  (3)  by  direct  commission 
and  by  the  impartation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  we  are 
directed  to  bear  witness  of  these  truths. — Peter. 
As  spokesman. — And  the  apostles.  Standing 
with  him,  as  in  ch.  2  :  14,  and  by  their  counte- 
nance and  acquiescence  accepting  him  as  their 
representative.  —  We  ought  to  obey  God 
rather  than  men.  The  verb  is  impersonal, 
and  might  be  rendered,  One  ought  to  obey.  The 
apostle  declares  a  general  principle,  not  a  special 
obligation  resting  peculiarly  upon  them.  It  is 
one  which  the  rulers  could  not  gainsay  without 
denying  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the 

Hebrew  theocracy  (Cen.  3  :  n  ;  1  Sam.  15  :  24  ;   Dan.  3  :  17, 

18;  6 :  10).  Parallel  is  Socrates'  declaration  iu' 
his  defence  (Apoiogj- 29),  "  Men  of  Athens,  I  honor 
and  love  you,  but  I  shall  obey  God  rather  than ' 
you;"  and  again,  "If  when,  as  I  conclude  and' 
imagine,  God  orders  me  to  fulfill  the  philoso- 
pher's mission  of  searching  into  myself  and  other' 
men,  I  were  to  desert  my  post  through  fear  of 
death,  or  any  other  fear,  that  would  indeed  be 
strange,  and  I  might  justly  be  arraigned  in  court 
for  denying  the  existence  of  the  gods,  if  I  dis- 
obeyed the  oracle  because  I  was  afraid  of  death." 
— {JouetVs  Translatiem,  I  :  337.)  Observe  that 
while  this  precept  recognizes  a  higher  than  hu- 
man law,  and  gives  to  the  individual  conscience 
a  right  of  disobedience  to  the  human  in  obedience' 
to  what  is  recognized  as  divine,  and  while  the 
N.  T.  bases  the  duty  of  obedience  to  human  lafr- 
on  the  higher  duty  of  obedience  to  the  divine 
(Rom.  13: 1,2),  neither  by  precept  nor  practice  did 
the  apostles  justify  renistance  to  human  law  in 
the  name  of  God.    They  fled  from  persecution 


n 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  V. 


30  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye 
slew  and  hanged  J  on  a  tree. 

ai  Him  hath  God  exalted''  with  his  right  hand  to  be 
a  Prince '  and  a  Saviour,™  for  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins. 


32  And  we  are  his  witnesses "  of  these  things ;  and 
so  is  also  the  Holy  Ghost,"  whom  God  hath  given  to 
them  that  obey  him. 

33  When  they  heard  that,  theyn  were  cut  to  the 
heart,  and  took  counsel  to  slay  them. 


j  Gal.  3:13;  1  Pet.  2  :  24 ....  k  Phil.  2:9 I  Isa. 


Matt.  1  :  21 n  Luke  24  : 


. . .  o  ch.  2  :  4 . . , .  p  ch.  7  :  54. 


(Matt.  10  :  23 ;  2  Cor.  11  :  32,  33),  but  DeVCr  resisted  it 
(1  Jet.2:  22.23^. 

30,  31.  The  God  of  onr  fathers.  Peter 
still,  as  always  heretofore,  speaks  as  a  Jew,  and 
to  them  as  Jews,  ranking  himself  with  them,  and 
treating  Christianity  as  God's  gift  to  Israel  in 
fulfillment  of  his  covenant  with  that  nation  (ver. 
31).  Not  until  later  did  the  apostles  grow  into 
the  faith  that  it  was  equally  for  Gentile  and  Jew 
(Rom.  3:22, 29). — Whom  ye  slcw,  hanging  upon 
a  tree.  He  brings  clearly  before  them  the 
double  act,  (1)  murder,  for  they  coerced  the 
death  sentence  from  Pilate ;  (2)  the  means  era- 
ployed,  the  disgraceful  Gentile  cross. — Him,  a 
Prince  and  a  Saviour,  God  hath  exalted 
by  his  right  hand.  On  the  meaning  of  the 
word  ("^/'i/o's)  rendered  prince,  see  ch.  3  :  15. 
For  its  use  in  the  O.  T.  as  a  title  of  the  Messiah, 
see  Dan.  8  :  2.5  ;  9  :  25  ;  Isaiah  9:6;  Ezek.  3i  :  24. 
Here  the  double  office  of  Christ  is  recognized, 
as  King  or  Leader,  to  be  obeyed  and  followed, 
and  as  Saviour,  bringing  redemption  by  his 
blood.  The  language,  hy  his  right  hand,  refers  the 
glory  of  Christ's  exaltation  and  of  his  kingly  and 
mediatorial  character  to  the  Father  ;  it  is  by  the 
God  of  Israel  that  Jesus  is  made  prince  and 
Saviour  (Heb.  i :  8, 9).  Obscrve  the  difference  be- 
tween the  translation  above  and  that  of  our 
English  version,  which  is  incorrect.  It  is  not 
Exalted  him  to  be  a  prince  and  Saviour,  but  Him, 
who  is  a  prince  and  Saviour,  God  hath  exalted. — 
To  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  the 
remission  of  sins.  The  object  of  the  exalta- 
tion. The  death,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  ever- 
living  intercession  are  all  part  of  one  atoning 
work,  having  all  the  one  object,  the  redemption 
of  men  from  sin. — To  give  repentance  is  not  merely 
to  give  an  opportunity  to  exercise  it,  i.  e.,  to 
afford  pardon  to  the  repentant,  but  to  impart 
the  disposition  to  repentance.  Both  repentance 
and  faith  are  represented  in  the  N.  T.  as  gifts  of 
God,  that  all  may  be  from  Him  (John  i :  i6  j  le :  i,  8 ; 

Arte   3:  16;  Rom.   2:4;  Ephes.   2:8).      The   remission   of 

sins  is  not  merely  pardon,  i.  e.,  relief  from  the 
punishment  of  sin,  but  the  cleansing  of  the  soul 
from  sin  itself.  See  ch.  2  :  38,  note  and  refer- 
ences. 

32.  And  we  are  his  witnesses.  Christ's 
witnesses,  i.  e.,  witnesses  appointed  by  Christ. 
For  the  appointment  see  Luke  24  :  47-50,  and  ob- 
serve in  the  parallel  between  the  language  there 
and  here,  an  incidental  evidence  of  the  authenticity 
of  the  two  accounts,  and  an  indication  that  Luke's 


Gospel  and  The  Acts  were  by  the  same  pen. — 
Of  these  words.  Not  things,  a  meaning  some- 
times, but  I  think  incorrectly,  given  to  the  orig- 
inal ((jj;i(«).  It  is  from  a  verb  meaning  to  speak, 
and  always  signifies  what  is  spoken.  Here  it  may 
mean,  either,  as  Alford,  words  of  history,  i.  e.,  We, 
the  apostles,  personally  know  and  testify  to  the 
truth  of  these  words  which  I,  Peter,  have  just 
spoken  ;  or  words  of  prophecy,  i.  e.,  We  are  ap- 
pointed as  witnesses  to  the  fulfillment  of  that 
holy  word  which  foretold  the  coming  of  such  a 
prince  and  Saviour ;  perhaps  it  is  better  to  in- 
clude both  meanings. — As  also  the  Holy 
Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to  them 
that  obey  him.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  a  wit- 
ness to  the  truth  of  redemption,  both  by  the 
special  gifts  conferred  upon  the  apostles  and 
early  disciples — gifts  of  tongues,  miracles,  etc. 
(ch.  2  :  1-7 ;  10 :  45 ;  19 : 6 ;  Mark  16 :  2o) ;  and  by  the  in- 
ternal witness  afforded  to  the   believer  in  his 

own    experience    (Rom.  8   :   16;  Gal.  4   :6;  1   John  3:24). 

Both  kinds  of  testimony  are  included  here,  and 
on  the  three  kinds  of  evidence  here  referred  to 
Christianity  rests ;  (1)  Jiistorical  and  human,  the 
testimony  of  credible  witnesses  to  the  life,  char- 
acter, miracles,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  ;  (2)  divine  and  external,  the  evidence 
afforded  by  moral  and  spiritual  changes  -in  indi- 
viduals and  the  community  accounted  for  only 
by  the  presence  of  God's  Spirit ;  (3)  divine  aiid  in- 
ternal, the  inward  realization  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  the  heart  of  the  believer.  Observe  the  extent 
of  the  promise  here,  agreeing  with  the  language 
of  ch.  2  :  39 ;  3  :  25,  etc. 

Peter's  address  here  exemplifies  the  fulfillment 
of  Christ's  promise  in  Matt.  10  :  19,  I  have  al- 
ready spoken  above  of  its  logical  structure. 
Observe  (1)  its  brevity:  three  sentences;  (2)  its 
compactness  and  completeness ;  it  declares  the  cru- 
cifixion, resurrection,  and  ascension  of  our  Lord, 
his  double  character  as  King  and  Saviour,  his 
mission  to  cleanse  away  sin,  the  condition  of  re- 
ceiving the  benefits  he  affords,  repentance  which 
is  itself  his  gift,  and  the  twofold  evidence  of 
these  truths,  the  human  and  the  divine.  It  may 
fairly  be  called  the  true  apostles'  creed  ;  (3)  its 
Christian  spirit :  Courage  without  bittei'ness ;  in 
it  Peter  refuses  obedience  to  the  prohibition  of 
the  rulers,  and  accuses  them  of  slaying  on  the 
cross  the  Prince  of  Israel,  but  preaches  to  them 
the  Gospel  of  Salvation,  and  offers  to  them  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  on  the  conditions  of 
repentance  and  faith. 


Ch.  v.] 


THE  ACTS. 


73 


34  Then  stood  there  up  one  in  the  council,  a  Phari- 
see, named  Gamaliel,''  a  doctor  of  the  law,  had  in  rep- 
utation among  all  the  people,  and  commanded  to  put 
the  apostles  torth  a  little  space  ; 

35  And  said  unto  them,  Ve  men  of  Israel,  take  heed 
to  yourselves  what  ye  intend  to  do  as  touching  these 
men. 


36  For  before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas,  boasting 
himself  to  be  somebody  ;  to  whom  a  number  of  men, 
about  four  hundred,  joined  themselves :  who  was 
slain  ;  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  scatteredj 
and  brought  to  nought. 

37  After  this  man,  rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee,  in  the 
days  of  the  taxing,  and  drew  away  much  people  alter 


q  ch. 


33.  They  were  cut.  The  words  to  the  heart 
are  supplied  by  the  translator.  The  original  is 
literally  were  sawed  asunder.  It  occurs  only  here 
and  in  Acts  7  :  54,  and  indicates  intense  exas- 
peration. Observe  the  elfect  of  faithful  Gospel 
preaching;  it  pierces  to  the  heart,  either  to 
awaken  repentance  and  lead  to  forgiveness  (ch. 
2 !  37),  or  to  awaken  remorse  and  anger,  and  lead 
to  an  aggravation  of  guilt.  —  Were  taking 
counsel  to  slay  them.  That  is,  were  coun- 
seling how  they  might  do  it.  To  slay  the  apos- 
tles was  not  a  simple  matter,  for  (1)  there  was 
no  ground  on  which  to  base  a  capital  conviction. 
They  could  not  be  accused  of  blasphemy,  for  in 
all  their  addresses  they  had  directed  the  rever- 
ence and  allegiance  of  Israel  to  the  God  of  their 
fathers.  At  most  they  could  only  be  charged 
with  delusion ;  (2)  the  people  could  not  be  in- 
cited to  a  mob  as  in  the  case  of  Stephen,  for  as 
yet  the  popular  current  was  with  the  apostles 
(ver.  26) ;  (3)  Capital  punishment  could  only  be  in- 
flicted by  the  Roman  governor,  and  there  was  no 
charge  that  could  be  preferred  to  the  Koman 
governor  against  Peter  and  the  eleven. 

34,  35.  A  Pharisee  named  Gamaliel. 
There  were  two  Jewish  rabbis  of  this  name,  Gama- 
liel I  and  II.  Conybeare  and  Howson  have  con- 
founded them,  and  attributed  to  Gamaliel  I  some 
anecdotes  related  of  Gamaliel  II.  The  one  here 
mentioned,  Gamaliel  I,  was  a  grandson  of  Hillel ; 
in  theology,  his  disciple,  in  spirit  akin  to  Shammai, 
he  occupied  a  position  midway  between  the  rigid 
and  the  liberal  parties  into  which  Phariseeism 
was  divided.  See  Matt.  3  :  7,  note.  He  insisted 
on  the  rigorous  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  but 
decreed  that  all  persons  called  on  that  day  to 
assist  in  repelling  invasion,  or  at  inundations, 
fires,  etc.,  or  even  at  childbirth,  might  walk  two 
thousand  paces  in  any  direction  ;  he  decreed  1  lie 
right  to  glean  to  the  heathen  poor ;  he  sanctioned 
extending  the  greeting  "  Peace  be  with  you  "  to 
the  heathen ;  he  modified  the  divorce  laws,  and 
alleviated  the  condition  of  women ;  he  was  him- 
self a  student  of  Greek  literature ;  and  to  his  in- 
fluence may  be  attributed  Paul's  knowledge  of 

the  Greek  poets  (Acts  n  :  28  ;  l  Cor.  16  :  33  ;  Titus  1  :  12),  for 

he  was  Paul's  preceptor  (Acts  22 : 3).  He  died 
about  50  A.  D.  For  an  excellent  account  of  him, 
see  Kitto's  Cyclopedia;  on  the  character  of  his 
counsel  here,  see  below. — Had  in  reputation 
among  all  the  people.  He  was  the  first  to 
receive  the  title  of  Rabban,  and  it  is  a  Rabbinical 


proverb,  "With  the  death  of  Gamaliel,  reverence 
for  the  law  ceased,  and  purity  and  abstinence 
died  away." — Commanded  to  pnt  the  apos> 
ties  forth.  The  ready  acquiescence  of  the 
councQ  indicates  the  degree  of  authority  which 
he  possessed.  Lightfoot  supposes  him  to  have 
been  the  president. — Take  heed  to  your- 
selves. Observe  that  the  counsel  of  Gamaliel  is 
addressed  to  their  fears,  not  to  their  consciences  ; 
it  is  the  counsel  of  the  conservative  and  timid 
nature. 

36,  37.  The  skill  of  Gamaliel  is  shown  in  his 
address.  He  begins  by  ranking  the  apostles  with 
Theudas  and  Judas,  impostors ;  he  ends  by  sug- 
gesting that  their  work  may  be  of  God.  If  he 
had  reversed  the  order,  the  result  of  his  address 
might  have  been  diilerent. — Theudas.  Jose- 
phus  mentions  an  outbreak  under  a  person  of 
this  name  who  pretended  to  be  a  projjhet,  and 
carried  forth  a  multitude  of  followers  to  the  Jor- 
dan. He  was  unexpectedly  attacked,  taken,  and 
put  to  death  b^'  the  Romans.  This,  however, 
occurred  a.  d.  44,  eleven  or  twelve  years  after 
Gamaliel's  speech.  Skeptics  have  drawn  from 
this  the  conclusion  that  Luke  was  mistaken  in  his 
date,  and  hence  that  his  whole  narrative  is  unre- 
liable. It  is  far  more  probable  that  Josephus 
misplaced  his  Theudas ;  for  he  is  often  charge- 
able with  inaccuracy.  It  is  still  more  probable, 
however,  that  the  two  historians  refer  to  two  per- 
sons of  the  same  name.  Such  impostures  were 
not  infrequent  at  the  time,  and  the  name  was  a 
common  one.  The  attempt  to  identify  this  Theu- 
das with  some  of  the  other  leaders  of  outbreaks 
mentioned  by  Josephus  (see  Hackett)  are  not  suc- 
cessful. It  is,  at  all  events,  hardly  possible,  con- 
sidering the  time  and  the  circumstances  of  the 
writing  of  the  Acts,  and  the  evident  supervision 
of  them  by  Paul,  the  pupil  of  Gamaliel,  that  a 
gross  historical  mistake  should  have  been  here 
put  into  his  mouth,  even  if  the  writer  be  not 
regarded  as  inspired. — Judas  of  Galilee.  Ac- 
cording to  Josephus,  who  is  our  only  source  of 
information  respecting  him  or  the  insurrection, 
this  man  was  a  native  of  Gamala  in  Gaulonitis. 
At  the  time  when  Quirinus,  the  Cyrenius  of  Scrip- 
ture, undertook  to  enroll  the  people  of  Judea, 
preparatory  to  taxation  (Luke  2 : 2),  this  Judas  in- 
cited to  an  unsuccessful  revolt.  His  insurrection 
was  of  a  semi-religious  character,  his  followers 
claiming  that  God  was  the  only  ruler  and  lord. 
What  became  of  Judas  himself  we  do  not  know ; 


74 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  V. 


him :   he '  also  perished  ;   and  all,  even  as  many  as 
obeyed  him,  were  dispersed. 

38  And  now  I  say  unto  you,  Refrain  from  these  men, 
and  let  them  alone  :  '^  tor  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be 
of  men,  it  will  come  to  nought. 

39  But  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ;  lest 
haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight"  against  God. 

40  And   to  him  they  agreed :   and  vvben  they  had 


called  the  apostles,  and  beaten  "  tkem,  they  command- 
ed "  that  they  should  not  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus, 
and  let  them  go. 

41  And  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  coun- 
cil, rejoicing  >■  tliat  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  his  name. 

42  And  daily  1  in  the  temple,  and  in  every  house, 
thi;y  ceased  not  to  teach  and  preach  Jesus  Christ. 


r  Luke  13  :  1,  2....s  Prov.  21  :  30  ;   Isa.  8  :  10;   Matt.  15  :  13 t  Job  34  :  29 ;    1  Cor.  1  :  25. ..  .u  ch.  9  :  6 ;    23  :9..   .y  Matt.  10  :  17. 

w  ch.  4  :  18 X  Matt.  5:12;  2  Cor.  12:10;  Phil.  1  :  29 ;  Jamcis  1  ;  2 ;  1  Pet.  4  :  13-16 y  2  Tim.  4  :  2. 


but  though  his  immediate  followers  were  dis- 
2Jersed,  the  sect  remained,  denying  the  right  of 
taxation  to  the  Roman  government,  and  giving 
rise  to  tlie  Zealots  and  to  subsequent  insurrec- 
tion. Thus  Luke's  discrimination  between  the 
followers  of  Theudas,  "who  came  to  naught," 
and  those  of  Judas,  who  were  "only  dispersed," 
is  strictly  and  noticeably  accurate,  an  incidental 
evidence  of  the  trustworthiness  of  the  record. 

38,  39.  And  for  the  present  I  say  unto 
you,  refrain  from  these  men.  That  is, 
refrain  from  punishing  them.  The  Greek  word 
rendered  now  (ruvvt)  is  not  a  conjunction;  it  in- 
dicates present  time,  You  regard  these  men  as 
impostors  ;  imposture  comes  to  naught ;  for  the 
present  my  advice  is  to  leave  them  alone  ;  if  they 
are  what  you  think,  the  imposture  will  soon  run 
its  course.  This,  in  effect,  is  Gamaliel's  advice. 
— And  let  them  alone.  Rather,  Huffer  them  to 
go  on. — For  if  this  counsel  or  this  Avork. 
Counsel  signifies  the  general  plan  and  purpose 
which  the  apostles  were  carrying  out ;  work,  the 
particular  operations  involved  in  executing  it. 
The  counsel  was  not  comprehended  by  the  Sanhe- 
drim and  only  imperfectly  by  the  apostles  them- 
selves. It  really  included  the  extension  of 
Christianity  over  the  whole  world  ;  for  the  coun- 
sel was  God's.  The  work  was  the  preaching  of 
that  Gospel  then  and  there  in  Jerusalem,  and  the 
accompanying  miracles  ;  the  work  was  the  apos- 
tles', albeit  God  was  working  in  them. — Over- 
throw it.  Alford  and  Tischendorf  both  read 
overtlirow  them.  The  meaning  is.  If  their  pur- 
pose, what  they  are  carrying  out,  and  their  work, 
what  they  are  doing  in  carrying  it  out,  are  from 
God,  they  cannot  be  successfully  resisted.  There 
is  some  difference  among  scholars  as  to  the  con- 
struction of  the  Greek  of  ver.  39,  but  none  as  to 
its  substantial  meaning,  as  expressed  in  our  Eng- 
lish version. 

40-42.  And  to  him  they  agreed.  In  part; 
they  did  not,  however,  refrain  from  punishing 
the  men,  and  would  not  have  suffered  them  to  go 
on  with  their  work,  if  they  could  have  prevented 
it. — And  beaten  them.  Probably  not  with  the 
scourge  used  in  the  Roman  scourging.  See  Matt. 
27  :  136-31,  note.  The  verb  there  and  here  is  dif- 
ferent. Beating  was  employed  by  the  Jews  as  a 
punishment.  It  was  not  improbably  borrowed 
from  the  Egyptians,  who  used  then,  as  now,  the 


cruel  bastinado.  The  offender  is  thrown  on  the 
ground  and  beaten,  either  on  the  back  or  on  the 
soles  of  the  feet.    Jewish  law  confined  the  stripes 

to   forty  (Lev.  19  :  20 ;  Deut.  22  :  18  ;  25  :  2,  3  ;  2  Cor.  11  :  i'4). — 

That  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  the  name.  Not  Ms  name,  but  the 
name.  The  definite  article  attached,  indicates  it  as 
the  only  name,  the  one  above  every  other  name,  as 
the  Scriptures  are  the  writings,  and  the  Bible  is 
the  book.  Observe  the  contrast,  counted  worthy 
to  suffer  shame.  Comp.  Luke  16  :  15.  "This  in- 
fluence of  the  holy  name,  which  could  transmute 
shame  and  suffering  endured  for  its  sake,  into 
honor  and  rejoicing,  greatly  transcends  all  that 


BASTINADO. 

the  name  of  Jehovah  (in  the  O.  T.)  had  ever 
accomplished.  Here,  therefore,  we'  have  actual 
demonstration  that  the  name  of  Jesus  is  tlw 
name."  —  (Bmnvfiarftv.)  —  And  daily  in  the 
Temple,  and  from  house  to  house.  The 
Greek  is  the  same  in  ch.  2  :  46.  See  note  there. 
— To  teach  and  to  preach  the  Messiah, 
Jesus.  This  language  is  not  tautological.  To 
preach  Jesus  is  to  proclaim  to  unbelievers  that 
Jesus  is  the  promised  Messiah  ;  to  tench  Jesus  is 
to  teach  the  believers  the  truths  respecting  him 
and  his  Messianic  kingdom.  See  Christ's  com- 
mand in  Matt.  28  :  19,  20,  and  notes  there. 
Gamaliel's  CotrNSEL.— The  effect  of  Gama- 


Ch.  VI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


75 


CHAPTER    VI. 

AND  in  those  days,  when  the  number  of  the  disci- 
ples was  multiplied^  there  arose  a  murmuring  of 
the    Grecians^  against   the    Hebrews,   because    their 
widows  were  neglected  in''  the  daily  ministration. 
2  Then  the  twelve  called  the  multitude  of  the  disci- 


ples unto  them^and  said,  Iti"  is  not  reason  that  we 
should  leave  the  word  of  God,  and  serve  tables. 

3  Wherefore,  brethren,  look "  ye  out  among  you 
seven  men  of''  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appomt  over  this  business. 

4  But  we  will=  give  ourselves  continually  to  prayer, 
and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word. 


z  ch.  9  :  29  ;  II  :  20 a  ch.  4  :  35 b  Eiod.  18  :  17- 


. .  c  Deal.  1:13 d  ch.  16  :  2  ;  1  Tim.  3  :  7,  8,  10 . .  .el  Tim.  4  :  15. 


liel's  counsel  was  the  deliverance  of  the  apostles, 
and  this  has  led  to  a  curiously  false  estimate  of  the 
man  and  his  advice.  He  is  commended  as  "  right- 
minded  in  his  judgment"  {Chrynostom),  and  his 
speech  as  "humane,  sensible,  candid,  and  enlight- 
ened "  (Adam  Clarke),  an  "honest  and  intelligent 
argument "  {Conybeare  and  Howson),  "  an  instance 
of  great  shrewdness  and  prudence  "  (Barnes).  He 
has  been  regarded  as  an  apostle  of  the  philos- 
ophy of  toleration,  and  even  as  a  defender  of 
Christianity,  and  an  ancient  legend  represents 
him  to  have  been  a  secret  Christian  and  subse- 
quently baptized.  The  legend  is  untrustworthy 
and  the  commendations  bestowed  on  him  and  his 
counsel  are  ill-judged.  His  address  was  indeed 
shrewd,  but  it  was  neither  courageous,  honest, 
nor  sound.  It  certainly  was  not  a  plea  for  Chris- 
tianity, for  he  apparently  classifies  the  apostles 
with  impostors ;  nor  a  plea  for  the  right  of  pri- 
vate judgment  in  religion,  the  Biblical  and  the 
only  sound  basis  for  religious  toleration.  His 
counsel  may  be  "salutary  in  a  doubtful  matter" 
{Bengel),  i.  «.,  there  may  be  cases  in  which  only 
the  result  can  determine  the  character  and  value 
of  a  great  popular  movement.  But  it  is  false  in 
principle,  for  those  things  that  come  to  naught 
are  sometimes  of  God,  witness  the  Asiatic 
churches  planted  by  the  apostles  ;  those  things 
that  survive  are  not  always  from  Him,  witness 
Mahommedanism.  It  is  false  in  reasoning  ;  that 
God  can  give  victory  to  his  own  is  no  reason  for 
not  contending  against  error  and  for  the  truth. 
"He  who  cannot  decide  until  Christ  and  his 
church  are  completely  victorious,  will  remain  in 
doubt  until  the  day  of  judgment  arrives."  — 
{Lange\i  Commentary.)  It  is  false  in  its  application; 
the  miracles  wrought  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  his 
death  and  resurrection,  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  movement  of  the  people,  and,  above 
all,  the  peculiar  character  of  the  apostles'  teach- 
ing and  of  Hira  whom  they  preached,  sufficiently 
attested  the  counsel  and  work  to  be  of  God. 
The  truth  appears  to  be  that  Gamaliel  was  an 
Erasmus  in  times  that  needed  a  Luther ;  that  he 
was  in  philosophy  a  fatalist,  and  in  spirit  a  tem- 
porizer ;  that  the  humane  teachings  of  Christ 
attracted  him,  but  that  he  had  not  the  courage 
nor  the  spiritual  faith  essential  to  a  disciple ; 
that  he  was  really  in  some  doubt  as  to  the  mean- 
ing and  the  probable  result  of  this  movement ; 
that  by  aiding  the  Sadducees  to  put  men  to 


death  for  preaching  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion, he  would  be  aiding  the  enemies  of  his  own 
party,  in  an  assault  on  the  fundamental  article 
of  their  faith,  and  he  was  wise  enough  to  see  it ; 
and  that  he  adopted  an  argument  false  in  its 
premises,  its  conclusion,  and  its  application,  and 
temporizing  in  its  spirit,'  to  promote  peace,  and 
settle  by  compromise  an  issue  which  could  only 
be  settled  by  conflict  and  victory.  This  is  in  sub- 
stance the  estimate  formed  by  Alford,  Arnot  and 
Calvin,  the  latter  being,  I  believe,  the  first  to  call 
in  question  the  soundness  of  Gamaliel's  reason- 
ing. His  comments  are  admirable,  and,  provided 
we  remember  that  God  does  not  fulfill  his  designs 
in  a  lifetime,  his  deductions  just.  "That  which 
is  of  God  must  needs  stand,  though  all  the  world 
say  nay  ;  therefore,  faith  must  stand  without  all 
fear,  against  all  the  assaults  of  Satan  and  men, 
seeing  that  faith  is  underpropped  and  supported 
with  the  eternal  truth  of  God."  Again,  "Al- 
though the  wicked  attack  whatsoever  they  can, 
and  seek  all  means  to  destroy  the  church,  al- 
though they  furiously  strive  against  Christ  and 
his  church  so  much  as  they  are  able,  yet  they 
shall  not  prevail,  because  it  is  the  property  of 
God  to  bring  the  counsels  of  man  to  naught." 


Ch.  6  :  1-8.    THE  APPOINTMENT  OF  DEACONS.    The 

METHOD  OP  CHURCH  ORGANIZATION  IN  APOSTOLIC 
TIMES. — The  METHOD  OF  DEALING  WITH  AND  PRE- 
VENTING   A    CHURCH    QUARREL. — ThE    OFFICE    OP    THE 

Christian  ministry  :  prayer  and  preaching. 

1.  In  those  days.  An  indefinite  note  of 
time  equivalent  to.  During  that  period  of  the 
history  of  the  church.  Assuming  that  the  con- 
version of  Paul  took  place  a.  d.  30,  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  Pentecost  a.  d.  29  (see 
Chronological  Table  in  Introduction),  the  date  of 
this  event  would  be  fixed  in  the  first  year  of  the 
existence  of  the  church.  The  date  is  further 
indicated  by  the  second  clause  of  the  sentence. 
— When  the  number  of  the  disciples 
was  multiplied.  The  number  was  now  sev- 
eral thousands  (ch.  5:41 ;  5 :  u). — Of  the  Grecians 
as^ainst  the  Hebrews.  Both  terms  are  used 
in  a  popular  and  somewhat  indefinite  sense  ;  the 
Grecians  includes  those  who  dwelt  in  Greece 
and  had  come  up  to  attend  the  feast  at  Jerusa- 
lem, whether  native  Greeks  and  adopting  the 
Jewish  religion,  or  native  Hebrews,  adopting 
Greece  as  their  abode ;  Hebrews  includes  those 


76 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VI. 


who  dwelt  in  Judea  retaining  the  Hebrew  lan- 
■  guage  and  using  the  Hebrew  Scriptures.  The 
race  prejudice  between  Greek  and  Hebrew  was 
great.  It  affected  the  Jewish  church  and  threat- 
ened the  primitive  Christian  church  (Rom.  2:9,  lo; 

1  Cor.  1  :  22-24  ;  Ephes.  2  :  14 ;  Col.  3  :  ll).     The  murmuring 

here  described  was  the  first  indication  of  danger. 
The  word  rendered  murmuring  (yoyyvauu<)  in- 
dicates that  it  was  a  suppressed  and  whispered 
discontent.  The  apostles  did  not  wait  for  a 
public  outbreak,  but  acted  on  the  first  sugges- 
tion of  difficulty.  "It  is  a  point  of  prudence 
and  godly  carefulness  in  that  they  prevented 
the  evil  which  began  to  arise  without  deferring 
the  remedy." — {Calvin.) — Their  widows  were 
neglected  in  the  daily  ministration.  Under 
the  Mosaic  law  no  definite  provision  was  made 
for  the  maintenance  of  widows,  who  were  de- 
pendent upon  relatives,  especially  the  eldest  son, 
though  they  were  protected  from  oppression  by 


( 


A  GKECIAN    WIDOW. 


special  laws  (oeot.  28  •  n ;  Job  24 :  s),  and  they  were 
commended  to  the  care  of  the  community  (Eiod. 

22  :  22 ;  Deut.  27  ■.  19  ;  Isaiah  1:17;  Jer.  7:6;  22  :  3  ;  Zech.  7  :  lo). 

In  compliance  with  the  spirit  of  these  regula- 
tions the  early  Christian  church  appear  to  have 
made  special  provision  for  the  widows  (comp.  i  Tim, 
e  ;  9).  What  was  the  nature  of  the  daily  ministra- 
tion here  referred  to  is  not  clear.  The  "  tables  " 
(tQtxniLu)  of  verse  2  may  mean  either  tables  for 
meals  or  a  money-changer's  tables  (Matt.  i5: 27; 

21  :  12 ;  Luke  16  :  21 ;  22  :  2l).      lu  Lukc  19  :  33  the  Same 

word  is  rendered  hank.  Either  money,  or  food, 
or  both,  may  have  been  distributed.  The  phrase, 
•'serve  tables,"  does  not,  however,  necessarily 
imply  that  this  ministration  took  place  literally 
at  a  table.  The  language  may  be  regarded  as 
simply  metaphorical.  It  is  supposed  by  many 
commentators  that  the  apostles  had  already  in- 
trusted this  distribution  to  deputies,  not  having 
the  time  to  attend  to  it  personally.    But  this  is 


a  gratuitous  assumption,  and  does  not  accord 
with  the  narrative.  If  they  had  already  ap- 
pointed deputies,  why  do  they  refer  to  them- 
selves as  leaving  the  word  of  God  to  serve 
tables  ?  The  suggestion  of  deputies  is  made  to 
avoid  the  supposed  implication  that  the  apostles 
were  neglectful.  But  there  is  nothing  to  indi- 
cate whether  the  complaints  were  well  grounded, 
or  the  product  of  a  sensitive  jealousy. 

2-4.  Then  the  twelve.  The  matter  was 
evidently  made  a  subject  of  consultation  between 
them,  and  their  action  was  concurrent. — Called 
the  multitude  of  the  disciples  together. 
It  is  no  more  necessary  to  suppose  that  the  en- 
tire number,  five  or  six  thousand,  attended  than 
that  all  the  citizens  attend  every  town  meeting. 
It  was  a  public  gathering  of  the  church,  to  which 
all  could  come  who  were  so  inclined.  The  open 
court-yard  of  any  of  the  large  houses  of  Jerusa- 
lem would  afford  a  convenient  place  of  meeting. 
— It  does  not  please  us  to  leave  the  word 
of  God.  The  meaning  of  the  original  seems  to 
be.  It  is  not  our  choice  to  distribute  the  charities 
of  the  church  ;  do  you  provide  some  one  else  to 
do  it. — Look  ye  out.  The  whole  multitude 
were  to  make  their  own  selection.  The  course 
here  pursued  is  hardly  consistent  with  the  theory 
of  an  apostolic  authority  over  the  church,  still 
less  with  that  of  a  papal  primacy  in  Peter  as 
vicegerent  of  Christ. — Seven  men.  "Why  they 
should  be  just  seven  let  him  that  hath  confidence 
enough  pretend  to  assign  a  reason." — (Liffhffoot.) 
There  has  been  no  lack  of  this  confidence  in  the 
commentators ;  Bengel  says  one  deacon  for  each 
1,000  converts ;  Meyer,  the  Jewish  sacred  num- 
ber ;  Alford,  some  present  consideration  of  con- 
venience ;  Wordsworth,  with  reference  to  the 
sevenfold  gift  of  the  Spirit  (isaiah  ii  •.  2).  Chrysos- 
tom's  deduction  is  just  and  reasonable:  "If 
there  were  need  of  seven  men  for  this,  how 
great  in  proportion  must  have  been  the  sums  of 
money  that  flowed  in." — Of  honest  report. 
Not  merely  honest  men,  butjnmi-fiossessing  the 
confidence  of  the  disciples!  A  good  reputation 
is  sometiiries  a^veryTiecessary  qualification  for  a 
public  office.  Comp.  1  Tim.  3  :  10.— Full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom.  Purity  alone 
does  not  suffice  for  church  work  ;  it  must  be 
mated  to  intellectual  capacity. — Whom  we 
may  appoint  over  this  business.  Of  dis- 
tribution. The  apostles  being  intrusted  with  the 
accumulated  funds  of  the  church,  reserved  the 
right  to  confirm  or  reject  the  selection  of  the 
multitude.— To  prayer  and  to  the  ministry 
of  the  word.  The  word  rendered  minisb-y 
here  is  the  same  as  that  rendered  serve  in  ver.  2. 
The  apostles  will  serve  the  word  of  God,  and 
leave  to  others  to  serve  the  charities  of  the 
church.  There  is  a  hint  here  of  the  inexpedi- 
ency of  placing  the  secular  properties  of  the 


Ch.  VL] 


THE  ACTS. 


77 


5  And  the  saying  pleased  the  whole  multitude  :  and 
they  chose  Stephen,  a  man  full '  of  faith  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip,^  and  Prochonis,  and  Nicanor, 


and  Timon,  and  Parmenas,  and  •>  Nicolas  a  proselyte 

of  Antioch  : 

6  Whom  they  set  before  the  apostles;   and  when' 
they  had  prayed,  they'  laid  e/ieir  hands  on  them. 


fch.  11:24 gch.  8  :5,  26;  21  :8 h  Rev.  2  :  6,15 1  ch.  1  :  24;  13:  3 j  lTlm.4:  14;  5:  22;  2  Tim.  1:6. 


church  in  the  hands  of  its  ecclesiastics.  Cer- 
tainly the  church  which  does  this  is  not  apos- 
tolic. Observe  that  prayer  in  the  apostles'  minds 
precedes  and  prepares  for  preaching.  They  that 
exhort  us  to  prayer  give  themselves  to  it  (Rom. 
1 :  lo).  "So  Moses  did  indeed  exhort  us  unto 
prayer,  but  he  went  before  them  as  a  ring- 
leader "  (Exod.  n :  u). — ( Calvin.)  Observe,  too,  that 
prayer  and  the  ministry  of  the  word  appear  to 
comprise  the  whole  of  the  apostolic  function,  in 
which  case  we  are  all  successors  of  the  apostles 
— or  ought  to  be. 

5,  6.  And  these  chose  Stephen,  etc. 
They  were  chosen  by  the  whole  multitude,  that 
is,  by  Greek  and  Hebrew ;  but  the  fact  that  all 
the  names  are  Greek,  indicate  that  all  the  chosen 
were,  if  not  Greeks,  at  least  not  likely  to  dis- 
parage or  overlook  the  Greek  element.  The 
church  apparently  put  the  work  of  distribution 
largely  in  the  hands  of  the  complainants.  Of 
these  appointees  only  Stephen  and  Philip  are 
again  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  (ch.  s :  s,  26, 40 ;  21  :  s). 
Nicolas  was  claimed  by  the  heretical  sect  of 
Nicolaitanes  (Rev.  2:6)  as  their  founder,  but  this 
claim,  though  allowed  by  Epiphanius,  is  gener- 
ally discredited  by  modem  scholars.  The  fact 
that  he  was  a  proselyte  of  Antioch  has  been 
taken  by  some  as  an  indication  that  all  were 
proselytes  ;  by  others  that  he  was  the  onlj'  pros- 
elyte. It  seems  rather  to  be  a  personal  desig- 
nation, perhaps  to  distinguish  him  from  others 
of  the  same  name. — Whom  they  set  before 
the  apostles.  For  their  approval. — And  when 
they  had  prayed.  For  guidance  in  the  final 
decision  (ch.  1 :  24,  25),  and  for  divine  blessing  on 
those  that  were  chosen  (ch.  13 : 2,  a). — They  laid 
their  hands  on  them.  This  is  the  first  men- 
tion in  the  N.  T.  of  what  has  grown  into  an 
ecclesiastical  rite.  Its  origin  is  to  be  traced  in 
the  O.  T.,  and  its  significance  found  there.  It 
was  employed  to  indicate  the  bestowal  of  gen- 
erally a  blessing  (Oen.  48  :  U;  Matt.  19  :  13  j   Mark  8  :  33  ; 

10 :  16) ;  sometimes  a  physical  cure  (2  Kings  5 :  11 ; 
Mark  16 :  18) ;  but  also,  in  one  notable  instance,  a 
curse  (Lev.  16 :  21 ).  It  was  employed  by  Moses  in 
the  ordination  of  Joshua  (Numb.  27 :  is ;  Deut.  34 : 9). 
The  same  form  was  used  by  the  apostles  with 
the  same  significance,  but  always  in  the  imparta- 
tion  of  a  Messing,  never  to  indicate  a  curse.  The 
laying  on  of  hands  accompanied  the  gift  of  heal- 
ing (Acts  9 :  n,  18 ;  28 :  s) ;  the  consccratiou  of  disciples 
to  a  particular  work,  as  in  this  case  (Acts  13 : 3) ;  or 
the  impartation  of  the  special  gift  of  the  Holy 


Spirit,  followed,  at  least  in  some  cases,  by  visible 
signs  of  his  presence  and  power  (ch.  8 :  n ;  19 : 6). 
The  rite  has  since  passed  into  the  Christian 
church  ;  in  nearly  all  denominations  it  is  em- 
ployed in  the  ordination  of  ministers,  and  in 
those  in  which  the  rite  of  confirmation,  supple- 
mental to  baptism,  is  employed  it  is  made  an 
important  part  of  that  rite. 

Of  the  origin  and  office  of  deacons. 
(1)  The  word  rendered  (ver.  2)  to  nerve  is  diakoneia 
{diay.oMiy) ;  from  it  undoubtedly  comes  our  word 
deacon  ;  and  from  the  appointment  here  narrated 
this  office  is  reasonably  thought  to  have  sprung. 
Such  an  officer  certainly  existed  in  apostolic 
times.  In  Phil.  1 : 1,  Paul  refers  to  the  deacons  as 
an  order  then  existing ;  and  in  1  Tim.  3  :  8-13,  he 
prescribes  their  necessary  qualifications.  Deacon- 
esses also  were  early  appointed,  probably  in  the 
apostolic  age  (Rom.  le :  1 ;  1  Tim.  5 : 9-16).  The  office 
has  been  permanently  retained  in  the  Chiistian 
church,  but  with  different  functions  in  different 
denominations.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church 
the  deacon  is  an  assistant  of  the  bishop ;  in  the 
Episcopal  church  a  clergyman,  without,  however, 
full  ordination,  not  being  allowed  to  consecrate 
the  elements  at  the  communion  ;  in  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church  he  assists  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  communion  and  as  a  teacher  of  the 
Scriptures  ;  in  the  Congregational  church  the  dea- 
cons are  nominally  the  dispensers  of  the  charities 
of  the  church,  really  the  pastor's  spiritual  advis- 
ers ;  in  the  Presbyterian  church  the  office  is  rarely 
practically  maintained,  its  duties  generally  de- 
volving upon  the  elders.  Each  denomination 
carefully  defines  the  office ;  each  endeavors  to 
conform  it  to  the  apostolic  model.  In  fact  there 
is  no  apostolic  model.  For  (2)  observe  the  na- 
ture of  the  original  appointment.  A  special 
exigency  required  special  work,  and  officers  were 
appointed  for  the  purpose.  The  tenure  of  their 
office  was  not  fixed  ;  nor  its  permanence  in  the 
church  prescribed  ;  nor  its  duties  defined  ;  nor 
was  even  a  name  given  to  it.  Apparently  the 
fact  of  the  appointment  is  only  mentioned  to 
explain  the  preaching  and  martyrdom  of  Stephen, 
and  the  subsequent  conversion  of  Paul.  There 
is  no  reason  whatever  to  suppose  that  it  was  in- 
tended for  a  precedent,  still  less  for  a  law,  to 
succeeding  generations  ;  and  all  endeavors  to 
conform  the  model  to  the  ancient  office  are  in 
vain,  since  the  ancient  office  had  no  definite 
duties.  Stephen  and  Philip  both  became  well- 
known  preachers  ;  Philip  is  known  as  the  Evan- 


78 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VI. 


7  And  ^  the  word  of  God  increased  ;  and  the  number 
of  the  disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusalem  greatly  ;  and  a 
great  company  of  the  priests'  were  obedient  to  the 
taith. 

8  And  Stephen,  full  of  faith  and  power,  did  great 
wonders  and  miracles  among  the  people. 


9  Then  there  arose  certain  of  the  synagogue,  which 
is  called  i/te  synagogue  of  the  Libertines,  and  Cyre- 
nians,  and  Alexandrians,  and  of  them  of  Cilicia  and  of 
Asia,  disputing  with  Stephen. 

10  And  they  were  not  able™  to  resist  the  wisdom 
and  the  spirit  by  which  he  spake. 


k  ch.  12  :  24  ;  19  :  20 ;  Isa.  65  :  11 1  Ps.  132  :  9,  16  :  John  12  ■  42 ....  m  Luke  21  :  15. 


gelist,  not  as  the  deacon  (ch.  21  •  s) ;  he  adminis- 
tered baptism  (ch.  8  :  .38),  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  he  might  not  with  equal  propriety 
have  administered  the  communion.  In  short, 
the  modern  church  cannot  be  conformed  to  the 
apostolic,  because  the  apostolic  church  had  no 
definite  form.  The  constitution  of  the  church 
was  not  framed  by  its  founders  like  that  of  the 
United  States ;  it  grew  like  that  of  Great  Britain. 
(3.)  This  appointment  afiords  a  model  for  the 
prevention  of  church  quarrels.  The  apostles  do 
not  chide  the  complainants ;  nor  wait  till  the 
quarrel  assumes  serious  proportions  ;  nor  an- 
swer the  complainants  with  self-justification  ;  nor 
endeavor  to  allay  the  jealousy  by  rebuking  it,  or 
heal  the  schism  by  being  leaders  of  either  Greek 
or  Hebrew  party.  They  throw  the  responsibility 
on  the  church  ;  turn  over  the  administration 
largely  to  the  complainants ;  and  give  themselves 
with  increased  consecration  to  spiritual  work. 

7,  8.  The  word  of  God  increased.  In 
power,  in  the  church,  and  hence  in  extent,  by 
addition  to  the  church.  The  nature  of  the  in- 
crease is  explained  by  the  subsequent  clauses  of 
the  verse,  which  define  its  effects.  This  was 
both  an  evidence  that  harmony  was  restored  and 
an  effect  of  that  harmonj'.  When  the  church  is 
united  the  word  increases  in  power.  As  to  the 
accession  of  priests,  doubtless  in  the  priesthood 
there  were  some  honest  and  sincere  inquirers 
after  truth,  ready  to  welcome  it  in  spite  of  foes ; 
others  were  easily  swayed  by  the  rising  enthu- 
siasm which  pervaded  Jerusalem.  The  number 
of  priests  at  the  return  from  Babylon  (Ezra  2 :  ss-ss) 
was  4,289,  and  it  was  now  probably  still  greater. 
It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  all  the  new 
adherents  to  the  church  were  spiritual  converts. 
Many  of  these,  like  some  of  Christ's  earlier  dis- 
ciples, probably  apostatized  from  the  faith,  when 
they  learned  all  that  it  involved  (john  e :  ee).  Such 
apostasy  was  evidently  not  unknown  in  the  apos- 
tolic church  (Heb.  6  •  4-6).  This  verse  describes  the 
culmination  of  the  period  of  external  prosperity 
in  the  church.  "  As  yet  all  seemed  going  on 
prosperously  for  the  conversion  of  Israel.  The 
multitude  honored  the  apostles ;  the  advice  of 
Gamaliel  had  moderated  the  opposition  of  the 
Sanhedrim ;  the  priests  were  gradually  being 
won  over.  But  God's  designs  were  far  different. 
At  this  period  another  and  important  element  in 
the  testimony  of  the  church  is  brought  out  in 
the  person  of  Stephen — ife  protest  against  Phari- 


saism. This  arrays  against  it  that  powerful  and 
jealous  sect,  and  henceforward  it  finds  neither 
favor  nor  tolerance  with  either  of  the  parties 
among  the  Jews,  but  the  increasing  and  bitter 
enmity  of  them  both." — {Alford.) — Stephen  full 
of  grace  and  power.  Grace,  not  faith,  is  the 
best  reading.  It  is  here  divine  grace,  and  in- 
cludes faith  as  one  of  the  chief  graces  or  free 
gifts  of  God's  Spirit.  Power  is  the  divine  power 
promised  by  Jesus  Christ  to  his  -disciples  in  ch. 
1  :  8,  as  manifested  by  signs  and  miracles,  and 
also  in  the  boldness  and  effectiveness  of  Ste- 
phen's preaching. 

Ch.  6  :  9  to  ch.  7  :  60.  THE  ACCUSATION,  DEFENCE. 
AND  MARTYRDOM  OF  STEPHEN.  The  unity  of  the 
Bible.— The  catholicity  and  spieitualitt  of  its 
RELIGION.— The  sole  condition  of  the  divinb  bless- 
ing, faith  :  illustrated  by  the  faith  and  blessing 
op  Abraham,  Moses,  David  ;  by  the  repeated  dis- 
obedience AND  punishment  OF  ISRAEL.  See  below, 
Stephen's  address :  prel.  note. 

A.  D.  35  or  36,  Dec.  This  address  of  Stephen 
marks  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  church. 
Up  to  this  time  the  preaching  had  been  by  He- 
brews and  addressed  to  Hebrews.  Stephen,  a 
Greek,  untrarameled  by  the  prejudices  from 
which  none  of  the  twelve,  not  even  Peter  (ch. 
10  :  14, 15),  were  emancipated,  saw  more  clearly, 
and  proclaimed  more  fearlessly,  the  radical  and 
revolutionary  character  of  the  new  religion, 
and  especially  its  fitness  for  and  its  free  offer  to 
all  nations.  This  catholic  character  of  his  minis- 
try is  indicated  in  the  charge  preferred  against 
him  ;  it  is  demonstrated  in  the  speech  he  deliv- 
ered in  his  own  defence  ;  it  explains  the  bitter- 
ness of  the  persecution  by  the  Pharisees  which 
followed  ;  it  led,  in  the  providence  of  God,  to  the 
dispersion  of  the  church  hitherto  centred  at 
Jerusalem,  and  the  ministry  of  the  word  through- 
out Palestine  ;  it  prepared  the  way  for  the  con- 
version of  Paul.  The  careful  student  wUl  find  in 
Stephen's  plea  the  germs  of  the  doctrines  of  uni- 
versal sin  and  universal  grace,  of  which  Paul 
became  the  most  distinguished  exponent,  and 
which,  I  believe,  he  learned  from  the  martyred 
Stephen.  Though  this  address  only  inculcates 
what  Christ  taught  in  his  first  sermon  (Luke  4 :  21-21), 
by  a  similar  historical  argument,  it  marks  the 
practical  transition  of  Christianity  from  a  refor- 
mation of  Judaism  to  a  world  religion,  and  is 
thus  almost  the  most  important  of  the  speeches 
reported  in  the  Book  of  Acts. 


Ch.  VI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


79 


II  Then  they  suborned"  men,  which  said,  We  have 
heard  him  speak  blasphemous  words  against  Moses, 
and  against  God. 


12  And  they  stirred  up  the  people,  and  the  elders, 
and  the  scribes,  and  came  upon  hi»i,  and  caught  him, 
and  brought  him  to  the  council. 


n  1  KingB  21  :  10,  13 ;  Matt.  26  :  59,  60. 


9,  10.  Then  arose  certain  of  the  syna- 
gosfue  called  of  the  Libertines,  etc.  For  ac- 
count of  Jewish  synagogue,  see  note  on  Matt.  4 :  23. 
For  illustration,  see  Vol.  I,  frontispiece,  and  Luke 
5  :  21.  According  to  the  Rabbinical  books  there 
were  upwards  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  syna- 
gogues ill  Jerusalem  ;  Jews  of  different  dialects 
and  provinces  naturally  worshiijped  together,  and 
the  synagogues  naturally  took  their  names  from 
the  nationality  of  the  congregations.  Whether 
here  five  synagogues  are  intended,  or  one  or  two, 
which  embraced  the  worshippers  of  the  different 
districts,  is  uncertain.  In  the  synagogue  ser- 
vices it  was  generally  permitted  to  the  leaders  of 
any  new  school  to  set  forth  their  opinions  (ch. 
13:15).  Hence  Stephen's  preaching  in  the  syna- 
gogue, which  aroused  the  opposition  of  the  Phar- 
isees. The  Libertines  were  Jews,  who,  having 
been  taken  prisoners  and  reduced  to  slavery,  had 
afterwards  been  emancipated,  and  had  returned 
to  their  national  land.  They  had  been  allowed 
by  Augustus  to  settle  in  a  part  of  Rome,  and  to 
follow  their  own  religious  customs,  but  were 
expelled  by  Tiberius  a.  d.  19.  Four  thousand 
were  sent  to  Sardinia,  in  the  hope  that  they 
would  there  perish  from  the  malaria ;  the  rest 
were  required  to  leave  Italy,  or  abjure  their  reli- 
gion. It  is  a  reasonable  conjecture  that  of  these 
exiles  enough  may  have  found  their  way  to  Jeru- 
salem to  organize  a  synagogue  of  their  own ;  and, 
having  suffered  persecution  for  their  own  faith, 
would  be  foremost  in  opposition  to  the  new  doc- 
trine, as  one  "  against  this  holy  place  and  the 
law."  For  other  but  now  generally  discarded 
interpretations  of  the  word  Libertines,  see  Smith's 
Bible  Dictionary.  The  Cyrenians  were  emigrants 
from  Cyrene  on  the  north  of  Africa.  See  ch. 
3  :  10,  note.  The  Alexandrians  were  from  Alex- 
andria, on  the  Mediterranean,  twelve  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Nile,  a  famous  philosophical 
and  literary  centre.  A  large  number  of  Jews 
were  planted  there  by  its  founder,  Alexander  the 
Great;  they  possessed  equal  rights  with  the 
Greek  population,  had  a  part  of  the  city  allotted 
to  them,  were  governed  by  their  own  code  of 
laws,  and  at  the  time  of  Christ  constituted  one- 
third  of  the  population  of  the  city.  Cilicia  and 
Asia  were  Roman  provinces ;  the  latter  includ- 
ing Mysia,  Lydia,  Cana,  and  Phrygia.  See  Gaz- 
etteer and  map,  p,  21. — Disputing  with  Ste- 
phen. With  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  he 
entered  into  any  public  debate  or  discussion  with 
them.  It  is  equally  consistent  with  the  account  to 
suppose  that  he  preached  the  truth  aflSrmatively, 


and  that  they  opposed,  but  could  not  successfully 
resist  him.  Comp.  ch.  lo  :  i-j. — The  wisdom 
and  the  spirit  with  which  he  spoke.  Wis- 
dom is  not  equivalent  to  prudence,  nor  to  learn- 
ing, nor  to  dialectic  skill,  nor  to  mere  theoretical 
knowledge,  but  to  knowledge  of  truth  coupled 
with  skill  in  teaching  and  applying  it.  "  In  re- 
spect to  divine  things,  wisdom  {aiupia),  i.  e., 
knowledge,  insight,  deep  understanding,  is  repre- 
sented everywhere  as  a  divine  gift,  and  includes 
the  idea  of  practical  illustration  and  application, 
thus  distinguished  from  theoretical  knowledge  " 
(Eob.  Lex.,  oiicpiu).  TJte  spirit  might  either  mean 
the  Holy  Spirit  or  Stephen's  spirit ;  in  the  former 
case,  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  accompany- 
ing his  words ;  in  the  latter,  the  spiritual  power 
which  proceeded  from  his  own  spirit  aroused  and 
infused  into  his  speech.  Either  interpretation 
would  accord  with  the  N.  T.  use  of  the  lan- 
guage elsewhere.  Comp.  ch.  2  : 4 ;  10  :  19 ;  11  :  13, 
with  19  :  31 ;  Rom.  1:9;  7:6,  etc. ;  but  the  lat- 
ter meaning  agrees  best  with  the  context.  The 
language  cannot  mean  simply  that  he  spoke  in  a 
spirited  manner,  i.  e.,  with  vivacity  and  ardor; 
this  meaning  is  never  attached  to  the  Greek  word 
(7rv£i},((«),  here  rendered  sjnrit. 

11,  VZ.  Then  they  suborned  men.  The 
natural  resource  of  bigotry  when  convicted  of 
error  is  always  the  same  ;  sUenced  by  argument, 
it  silences  by  persecution.  Blasphemy  under  the 
Jew'ish  law  was  any  endeavor  to  turn  away  the 
allegiance  of  the  jieople  from  the  one  true  God. 
This  was  not  only  irreligion,  but  treason,  and  was 
punishable  with  death.  See  Matt.  13  :  33,  note, 
and  36  :  57-68,  prel.  note.  Its  nature  is  partially 
indicated  here  by  ver.  14.  To  speak  against 
Moses  was  equivalent  to  speaking  against  God, 
because  God  spake  through  Moses  (John  9 :  29). 
The  council  was  the  Sanhedrim,  the  supreme 
court  of  the  Jewish  nation,  which  tried  and  con- 
demned Christ.  For  description,  see  Vol.  I,  p. 
398  ;  for  illustration  of  oriental  court,  see  on  ch. 
4,  p.  58.  The  elders  were  semi- political  leaders, 
answering  to  the  modem  sheik ;  the  scribes  were 
Jewish  rabbis.  See  Matt.  16  :  31,  note.  The 
chief  priests  were  also  members  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim ;  they  are  not  mentioned  here,  perhaps  be- 
cause they  were  principally  Sadducees,  and  this 
persecution  was  instigated  by  the  Pharisees. 
Stephen's  enemies  stirred  up  the  people  by  mis- 
representations of  Stephen's  preaching,  in  order 
that  they  might  counteract  the  popular  feeling, 
which  was  in  favor  of  the  Christians  and  which 
had  hitherto  served  to  protect  them  from  perse- 


80 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VI. 


13  And  set  up  false  witnesses,  which  said,  This  man 
ceaseth  not  to  speak  blasphemous  words  against  this 
holy  place,  and  the  law  : 

14  For  "  we  have  heard  him  say,  that  this  Jesus  of 


Nazareth  shall  p  destroy  this  place,  and  shall  change 
the  customs  which  Moses  delivered  us. 

15  And  all  that  sat  in  the  council,  looking  stedfastly 
on  him,  saw  his  1  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an 
angel. 


o  ch.  35  :  8 .  . . .  p  Dan.  9  :  ! 


.  q  Exod.  34  :  30,  35. 


cution  (ch.  2 :  47 ;  4 :  17 ;  5 :  26).  Their  success  is  seen  in 
the  mob  which  brought  the  trial  to  a  sudden  close. 
The  Sanhedrim  had  no  longer  power  of  inflicting 
death,  which  was  reserved  by  the  Roman  govern- 
ment to  itself  (John  18 ;  31 ).  In  the  case  of  Christ 
they  appealed  to  Pilate  for  a  ratification  of  their 
sentence ;  in  tliis  case,  the  mob  executed  it.  The 
holy  place  is  primarily  the  Temple,  and  seconda- 
rily Jerusalem,  which  was  made  holy  to  the  Jew 
by  the  Temple.  The  law  is  the  system  given  by 
Moses,  including  the  whole  ceremonial  and  theo- 
cratic dispensation,  which  was  now  to  come  to  an 
end,  having  fulfilled  its  mission. 

14.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  destroy 
this  place.  Jesus  has  destroyed  Jerusalem 
and  the  Temple,  and  had  previously  foretold 
their  destruction  ;  he  has  also  changed  the  cus- 
toms which  Moses  delivered ;  and  the  character 
of  Stephen's  speech  leads  to  the  belief  that  he 
perceived  the  catholicity  of  the  Christian  religion 
and  the  transitoriness  of  Judaism  better  than 
the  Hebrew  disciples.  It  is  not,  therefore,  im- 
probable that  the  testimony  of  these  witnesses 
was  measurably  true  ;  false  in  spirit  rather  than 
in  words.  They  told  the  truth,  but  not  the 
whole  truth ;  and  half  a  truth  is  often  a  whole 
lie.  The  charge  of  attempting  to  turn  away  the 
allegiance  of  the  people  from  Jehovah  and  the 
system  given  by  him  through  Moses,  is  the 
gravamen  of  their  accusation.  Stephen's  plea  is 
devoted  to  meeting  this  charge ;  in  it  he  shows 
that  throughout  the  sacred  history  Gentile 
ground  was  holy  ground,  and  Gentiles  were 
called  to  be  divine  instruments  and  recipients  of 
the  divine  grace,  and  that  thus  the  Gospel  which 
he  preached  was  not  adverse  to,  but  the  culmina- 
tion of  this  gracious  history. 

15.  Saw  his  face  as  it  had  been  the 
face  of  an  an^el.  Comp.  Exod.  34  :  35; 
Luke  9  :  29.  Whether  here  the  shining  was  a 
supernatural  brightness,  a  special  and  divine 
radiance,  or  a  natural  effect  of  his  own  divinely- 
inspired  peace  and  joy,  is  not  an  important  ques- 
tion. In  either  case  it  was  the  direct  result  of 
the  indwelling  of  God  with  him,  the  fulfillment 
of  the  promise  of  Christ  (.lohn  14 :  23, 27).  That  the 
manifestation  of  this  inward  life  was  not  with- 
out its  effect  on  the  council,  is  indicated  by  the 
mildness  of  the  high-priest's  question,  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  high-priest's  treatment  of 
Christ  (Matt.  27  :  62, 63, 65),  and  Paul  {,-h.  23 : 2) ;  and 
by  the  fact  that  the  council  heard  Stephen's 


defence  until  his  outburst  of  indignation  at  the 

close.     Contrast  22  :  22. 

Ch.  7  :  1-52.  Stephen's  address  :  pbelimi- 
NAKT  NOTE.  The  councction  of  this  address  with 
the  accusation  preferred  against  Stephen  is  not 
clear ;  different  interpretations  have  been  pro- 
posed ;  some  rationalistic  scholars  have  even 
denied  that  there  is  any  connection.  An  under- 
standing of  the  spirit  of  the  address  as  a  whole, 
and  its  relation  to  the  accusation  and  the  martyr- 
dom, are  essential  to  its  study  in  detail.  (1.)  Sie- 
pherc's  object.  This  is  not  to  defend  himself,  but 
to  convict  his  hearers  of  sin  m  crucifying  their 
Messia,h,  and  to  proclaim  to  them  salvation 
through  Christ's  name.  Lilce  the  apostles,  he 
seizes  the  occasion  to  preach  the  Gospel.  We 
are  not,  therefore,  to  look  for  a  definite  answer  to 
the  charges  preferred  against  him.  (2.)  If  he  had 
indicated  his  purpose  at  the  outset,  the  council 
would  not  have  listened  to  him.  He  must  con- 
ceal it  in  order  to  accomplish  it.  We  may,  there- 
fore, look  for  some  obscurity,  especially  in  the 
earlier  portion  of  his  address.  (3.)  It  is  partly 
interpreted  by  the  charge  against  him,  viz.,  blas- 
phemy, in  speaking  against  Moses,  prophesying 
the  destruction  of  Jews  and  the  Temple,  and 
the  overthrow  of  Judaism  ;  and  probably,  also, 
predicting  the  extension  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
proselytes  from  other  lands,  like  himself,  and  to 
the  heathen.  This  catholicity  of  Christianity  al- 
ways aroused  the  especial  anger  of  the  Pharisees 
(ch.  22 :  21, 22).  (4.)  So  interpreting  it,  we  find  in 
his  historical  summary  an  incidental  reply  to 
these  charges.  In  his  selection  of  historical  facts 
he  illustrates  and  enforces  the  following  truths  : 
(a.)  The  favor  and  blessing  of  God  had  not  been 
confined  to  Judea  and  its  people.  They  were 
shown  in  the  facts  that  God  appeared  to  Abraham 
in  Mesopotamia,  a  land  of  idolatry,  gave  him 
not  even  a  foot-breadth  of  soil  in  Canaan  (ver.  5), 
caused  his  seed  to  dwell  as  strangers  in  a  strange 
land,  Egypt  (vers.  8-13),  and  Moses  to  be  educated 
in  heathen  (Egyptian)  philosophy,  and  called  the 
latter  out  of  Midian  to  become  the  deliverer  of 
Israel  (von.  20-29).  (6.)  Jerusalem  and  the  Temple 
were  not  alone  holy  ground,  and  to  prophesy 
their  destruction  was  not  to  speak  against  the 
allegiance  due  to  God  and  his  holy  religion  ;  for 
God  had  appeared  to  Abraham  before  the  days 
of  Tabernacle  or  Temple  (ver.  2) ;  to  Joseph  in  his 
bondage  in  Egypt  (9,  10);  to  Moses  in  the  burning 
bush,  making,  by  his  appearance,  Midian  holy 


Ch.  VII] 


THE  ACTS. 


81 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THEN  said  the  high  priest,  Are  these  things  so? 
2  And   he   said,    Men,'   brethren,   and   fathers, 


hearken  ;  The  God  of  glory  appeared  unto  our  father 
Abraham  when   he  was  in  Mesopotamia,  before  he 
dwelt  in  Charran, 
3  And  said '  unto  him.  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country, 


ground  (vers.  30-33) ;  to  Israel  in  the  church  in  the 
wilderness  (ver.  33) ;  to  David,  who  was  a  man 
after  God's  own  heart,  yet  was  not  even  permit- 
ted to  construct  a  temple  for  his  dwelling-place 
(ver.  46) ;  and  when  at  length  the  Temple  was 
built  God  declared  that  it  could  not  confine  him 
within  its  walls  (ver.  48).  (c. )  Stephen  did  not  speak 
against  Moses  nor  against  the  law  in  proclaiming 
the  Messiah,  for  Moses  had  himself  foretold  the 
Messiah's  advent  (ver.  37).  (d.)  Throughout  all 
their  history  the  Jewish  nation  had  resisted  the 
dispensation  of  divine  mercy.  This  fact  is  illus- 
trated by  the  selling  of  Joseph  into  Egypt  by 
his  brethren  (ver.  9) ;  by  the  repudiation  of  Moses 
by  the  Israelites  (ver.  27) ;  by  the  defection  and 
apostasy  of  Israel  at  Mount  Sinai  (vers.  39-41) ;  their 
subsequent  idolatries  (vers.  42,  43) ;  and  their  per- 
secution of  the  prophets  (vers.  51, 52) ;  it  was,  there- 
fore, no  strange  nor  blasphemous  doctrine  which 
he  preached,  that  they  had  now  rejected  the 
Messiah  himself,  and  that  God  would  conse- 
quently reject  them  as  a  nation.  (5.)  Stephen's 
speech  is  interrupted  at  ver.  51.  The  sudden 
transition  there  probably  indicates  not  an  actual 
and  violent  interruption  by  the  council,  which 
would  have  been  reported,  but  an  outburst  of 
indignation  on  Stephen's  part  at  the  relentless 
enmity  manifested  in  the  faces  of  his  judges. 
He  breaks  off  his  argument  and  closes  his  speech 
in  an  indignant  invective.  (6.)  The  speech  is 
analogous  in  structure  and  aim  to  that  of  Christ 
in  Luke  4  :  21-29 ;  like  that  is  historical ;  like 
that  traces  the  history  of  the  O.  T.  for  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  that  with  it  agrees  the  univer- 
sality and  catholicity  of  the  Gospel ;  like  that 
secures  attention  at  the  outset,  and  is  inter- 
rupted by  a  violent  outbreak  at  the  close. 
(7.)  The  source  whence  Luke  derived  his  knowl- 
edge of  this  speech  is  unknown.  It  is  a  reason- 
able hypothesis  that  the  report  came  from  Paul, 
who  was  present  and  consenting  to  Stephen's 
death,  and  whose  conversion  may,  I  believe,  be 
traced  to  the  influence  of  Stephen's  plea  and 
martyrdom ;  but  this  is  only  an  hypothesis. 
(8.)  The  indications  are  that  the  address  was 
made  in  the  Greek  language.  Stephen  was  a 
Greek,  and  his  quotations  from  the  O.  T.  gen- 
erally agree  with  the  Greek  version.  (9.)  There 
are  several  respects  in  which  his  historical  allu- 
sions differ  from  the  O.  T.  history  either  by 
variation  or  addition.  The  following  are  the 
principal  points  of  difference  : 

Ver.  2  puts  the  call  of  Abraham  before  the  mi- 
gration to  Haran  ;  Gen.  12  : 1,  4,  5,  in  Haran. 


Ver.  14  enumerates  75  souls  in  Jacob's  migra- 
tion ;  Gen.  4ti  :  27  enumerates  70. 

Ver.  16  mentions  the  burial  of  the  twelve  patri- 
archs at  Shechem  ;  Exodus  does  not. 

Ver.  16  describes  the  purchase  of  the  tomb 
differently  from  Gen.  23  :  15.     See  note  below. 

Ver.  20  characterizes  the  beauty  of  Moses  in 
childhood  in  stronger  language  than  Exod.  2  :  2. 

Ver.  22  specifies  his  Egyptian  education ;  Ex- 
odus does  not. 

Ver.  22  characterizes  him  as  mighty  in  words 
and  deeds ;  Exodus  says  nothing  of  his  early 
Egyptian  life. 

Vers.  22,  30,  36  mention  three  periods  of  forty 
years ;  the  last  only  is  so  defined  in  the  Penta- 
teuch. 

Ver.  32  describes  Moses's  terror  at  the  burning 
bush  ;  Exod.  3  :  3-5  does  not. 

Vers.  42,  43  add  from  Amos  5  :  25,  26  to  the 
Mosaic  narrative. 

Ver.  53  refers  to  angels  in  the  giving  of  the 
law  ;  Exodus  does  not. 

For  interpretation  and  explanation  of  these 
variations  in  detail,  see  the  notes  below.  Here 
it  may  suffice  to  say  that  I  see  no  objection  to 
the  belief  that  Stephen  referred  to  traditional 
sources,  assuming  as  true  the  well  recognized 
facts  in  the  Jewish  history,  whether  recorded  in 
the  O.  T.  or  not ;  and  that  thus  his  address  en- 
forces the  principle  that  all  history  is  sacred,  in 
that  it  illustrates  sacred  truth,  and  that  the  value 
of  the  O.  T.  history  lies  in  its  substantial  facts, 
not  in  its  literal  and  minute  accuracy.  (10.)  The 
general  lesson  derivable  by  us  from  Stephen's 
address  is  the  unity  of  the  religion  of  the  O.  T. 
and  the  N.  T.  (a)  The  O.  T.  as  well  as  the  N.  T. 
represents  the  divine  mercy  as  unlimited  by  con- 
siderations of  race  or  nationality  ;  (b)  the  O.  T. 
is  a  preparation  for  the  fuller  revelation  of 
mercy  through  Jesus  Christ  in  the  N.  T. ;  {c)  the 
O.  T.,  like  the  N.  T.,  subordinates  the  instru- 
ment (the  temple)  to  the  soul  (faith,  humility, 
and  mercy)  of  religion.  The  spirit  which  substi- 
tutes the  creed,  the  ceremony,  the  church,  or 
the  book  for  the  living  God  is  always  an  irreli- 
gious spirit. 

1.  Are  these  things  so?  The  high-priest 
was  ex-offlcio  president  of  the  council.  The  ac- 
cused had,  under  Jewish  rules  of  law,  a  right  to 
be  heard  in  his  own  defence.  Pleaders  were  un- 
known in  the  Jewish  courts ;  the  accused  pre- 
sented his  own  cause. 

2,  3.  Men,  brethren  and  fathers,  heark> 
en>    Men  are  all  present,  including  brethren^  his 


82 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIL 


and  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  the  land  which  I 
shall  shew  tnee. 

4  Then '  came  he  out  of  the  land  of  the  Chaldseans, 
and  dwelt  in  Charran :  and  from  thence,  when  his 
father  was  dead,  he  removed  him  into  this  land,  where- 
in ye  now  dwell. 

5  And  he  gave  him  none  inheritance  in  it,  no  not  so 


muck  as  to  set  his  foot  on:  yet  he  promised"  that  he 
would  give  it  to  him  for  a  possession,  and  to  his  seed 
after  him,  when  as  yet  he  had  no  child. 

6  And  God  spake  on  thiswise.  That  "■  his  seed  should 
sojourn  in  a  strange  land  ;  and  that  they  should  bring 
them  into  bondage,  and  entreat  them  evil  four "  hun- 
dred years. 


s  Gen.  12  :  1 ....  t  Gen.  12  :  B . . .  .  n  Gen.  13  :  15  ....  v  Gen.  IB  :  13,  16  ....  w  Exod.  12  :  40, 41. 


equals,  especially  the  public,  who  were  always  ad- 
mitted to  the  Jewish  trial  as  spectators,  zxx^fathers, 
the  members  of  the  council,  whom  he  addresses 
in  terms  of  respect  because  of  their  official  posi- 
tion. Comp.  Acts  23  : 1;  1  Tim.  5  : 1.  Observe 
the  respectfulness  and  the  dignity  of  Stephen's 
opening.— The  God  of  glory.  Not  merely 
equivalent  to  the  glorious  God.  He  dwells  ever 
in  glorious  light  unapproachable  (i  Tim.  6 :  le),  and 
in  the  O.  T.  appeared  in  a  cloud  of  glory,  the 

Shechinah,  to  his  people  (Exod.  40  :  34  ;   Lev.  9:6;   Ezek. 

1 :  28),  this  appearance  being  a  peculiar  privilege 
granted  to  Israel  (Rom.  9 : 4).  Stephen,  who  speaks 
of  the  appearance  of  God  to  Israel  from  the  days 
of  Abraham  to  those  of  Christ,  characterizes 
him  as  the  God  of  glory,  i.  e.,  whose  character 
has  ever  been  a  glorious  manifestation  of  himself 
to  his  people,  a  preparation  for  this  last  and 
most  glorious  self-disclosure  (Heb.  1  :  1, 2). — Our 
father  Abraham.  Stephen  identifies  himself 
with  his  audience  as  a  son  of  Abraham. — When 
he  was  in  Mesopotamia,  before  he  dwelt 
in  Charran.  Mesopotamia  derives  its  name, 
which  means  between  rivers,  from  its  position  be- 
tween the  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris ;  is  now  called 
by  the  Arabs  AJ-Jezirah,  the  island  ;  is  about  700 
miles  in  length,  and  from  20  to  250  mUes  in  width. 
The  Mesopotamia  of  the  Bible  is  the  northwest- 
em  portion  of  modem  Mesopotamia.  It  was  the 
dwelling-place  of  Balaam  ;  became  in  succession 
subject  to  the  Assyrian,  Babylonian,  Persian, 
Grecian,  Syrian,  Roman,  and  Parthian  rulers.  Ur 
(Gen.  11 :  28, 3i),  and  Harau,  the  Charran  of  our  text, 
were  cities  in  Mesopotamia.  The  site  of  both 
cities  is  somewhat  uncertain ;  Ur  is  probably  the 
modern  Mugheir ;  Haran,  probably  the  modern 
Harran ;  the  former  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
southern  Euphrates,  the  latter  in  northwestern 
Mesopotamia,  on  the  banks  of  a  small  tributary 
of  the  Euphrates,  the  river  Belik.  But  different 
localities  have  been  assigned  for  the  Haran,  the 
Ur,  and  the  Mesopotamia  of  Scripture.  See 
Smith's  Bible  Diet.,  arts.  Haran  and  Ur,  and 
Abbott's  ReliqiouH  Diet.,  art.  Mesopotamia. — Be- 
fore he  dwelt  in  Charran.  According  to 
Gen.  11  :  31,  Abram  and  his  father  Terah,  and 
his  nephew  Lot,  went  from  Ur  to  Haran,  where 
Terah  died.  Then  ch.  13  begins  a  new  account, 
"  Now  the  Lord  said  unto  Abram,  Get  thee  out  of 
thy  country.  *  *  *  So  Abram  departed,  as  the 
Lord  had  spoken  unto  him."  Thus  Genesis  men- 
tions the  departure  from  Ur  to  Haran,  but  no 


appearance  of  the  Lord  to  Abram  in  Ur.  Our 
translators  have  thrown  back  the  appearance  of 
the  Lord  to  Abram  in  Haran  by  the  rendering. 
The  Lord  had  said ;  but  this  they  apparently  did  to 
make  the  account  there  agree  with  Stephen's  re- 
presentation here.  This  was  quite  needless.  There 
is  nothing  inconsistent  in  the  two  accounts  ;  Ste- 
phen simply  tells  us,  what  we  should  not  have 
known  otherwise,  that  the  first  departure  from 
Ur  was  in  obedience  to  a  divine  call.  This,  how- 
ever, is  indicated  by  the  language  of  Gen.  11  :  31, 
which  states  that  Abram's  purpose  in  the  first 
movement  was  to  go  to  Canaan,  a  purpose 
impeded  but  not  abandoned,  in  the  delay  at 
Haran;  and  this  is  confirmed  by  the  language 
of  Gen.  15  :  7 ;  Josh.  24  :  3 ;  Neh.  9:7;  and 
by  Jewish  tradition,  preserved  in  Philo  and 
Josephus. 

4.  When  his  father  was  dead  he  re- 
moved him  into  this  laud.  This  accords  with 
the  account  in  Genesis,  but  the  account  there 
presents  some  difficulty ;  for,  apparently,  Terah 
was  seventy  years  of  age  at  the  birth  of  Abram 
(Gen.  11 :  26),  and  Abram  was  seventy-five  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  his  emigration  (oen.  12 :  4), 
which  would  make  Terah  only  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  years  old  at  that  time,  while,  according 
to  Gen.  11 :  33,  he  was  two  hundred  and  five  years 
old  at  the  time  of  his  death.  It  is  scarcely  prob- 
able, however,  that  Abram,  Nahor  and  Haran 
were  born  the  same  year,  and  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  Abram  was  the  oldest ;  Jewish  tradi- 
tion makes  him  the  youngest.  If,  then,  we  un- 
derstand the  declaration  of  Gen.  11  :  26,  "Terah 
lived  seventy  years  and  begat  Abram,  Nahor  and 
Haran,"  to  mean  that  he  was  seventy  years  old 
before  the  first  of  his  sons  was  born,  he  may  have 
been  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  old  when 
Abram  was  born,  and  two  hundred  and  five  when 
Abram's  migration  took  place.  And  this  is  the 
most  probable  explanation  of  a  difficulty  in  chro- 
nology, which  is  of  small  consequence,  except  that 
it  has  been  used  to  impugn  the  accuracy  of  the 
history. — Wherein  ye  now  dwell.  Stephen 
begins  with  Abram  and  his  migration  into 
Canaan  to  show  his  auditors  that  the  call  of  the 
Gentiles  in  the  Gospel,  so  far  from  being  incon- 
sistent with  the  sacred  history,  agrees  with  its 
first  and  fundamental  fact,  the  call  of  Abraham 
from  idolatry,  and  the  bequest  of  this  very  land 
to  him,  on  the  simple  condition  of  faith  in  and 
obedience  to  God's  word. 


Ch.  VIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


83 


7  And  the  nation  to  whom  they  shall  be  in  bondage 
will  I  judge,  said  God  :  and  after  that  shall  they  come 
forth,  and  serve  ^  me  in  this  place. 

8  And  y  he  gave  him  the  covenant  of  circumcision : 
and  'io'^  Abraham  begat  Isaac,  and  circumcised  him 
the  eighth  day  ;  and  Isaac  "  begat  Jacob  ;  and  Jacob  "< 
begat  the  twelve  patriarchs. 


9  And  the  patriarchs,  moved  with  "=  envy,  sold  Joseph 
into  Egypt:  but"'  God  was  with  him, 

10  And  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  afflictions,  and 
gave  him  favour  and  wisdom  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh 
king  of  Egypt ;  and  he "  made  him  governor  over 
Egypt  and  all  his  house. 

11  Now'  there  came  a  dearth  over  all  the  land  of 


S;  Ps.  105  :  17.  ...d  Gen. 39  :  2,21. 


5-7.  Not  so  much  as  to  set  his  foot  on. 

Literally,  not  afoot-step.  Comp.  Deut.  2  :  .5.  Abra- 
ham lived  in  Palestine  an  itinerant  life,  as  a  pil- 
grim and  stranger  (Heb.  ii :  9,  lo),  never  owning  any 
part  of  the  soil,  except  the  burial-place  of  Sarah, 
his  wife,  near  Hebron  (oen.,  ch.  23). — When  as  yet 
be  had  no  child.  Abraham  was  a  hundred 
years  old  at  the  time  of  Isaac's  birth  (gcd.  21  :  s) 
and  had  therefore  sojourned  in  Palestine  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century  before  there  was  any  indication 
of  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  made  to  him. — 
And  God  spake  on  this  wise.  Stephen's  lan- 
guage implies  that  he  does  not  quote  verbally. 
The  quotation  is  from  Gen.  15  :  13,  14. — Four 
hundred  years.  This  agrees  with  the  language 
of  Gen.  15  :  13 ;  in  Exod.  12  :  40,  and  Gal.  3  :  17,  the 
time  is  stated  with  greater  accuracy  at  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years.  It  is  uncertain  whether 
this  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  is  the  period 
of  Israel's  sojourn  in  Egypt,  i.  e.,  the  time  be- 
tween the  coming  of  Jacob  with  his  household 
into  Egypt  and  the  exodus  of  Israel  under  Moses, 
as  implied  in  Exod.  13  :  40,  or  the  period  of  Israel's 
sojourn  in  Egypt  and  Canaan,  I.  e.,  the  time  be- 
tween the  promise  to  Abraham  and  the  exodus 
of  Israel  from  Egypt,  as  implied  in  Gal.  3  :  17, 
and  in  some  ancient  copies  of  the  O.  T. ,  which, 
in  Exod.  13  :  40,  read,  "who  dwelt  in  Egypt  and 
the  land  of  Canaan."  The  former  opinion  best 
agrees  with  the  remarkable  increase  of  Israel  from 
seventy-five  souls  (ver.  u)  to  a  great  nation ;  the 
latter  best  agrees  with  the  Hebrew  genealogies. 
It  is  not  important  for  the  interpretation  of  Ste- 
phen's address  to  determine  this  question,  which 
is  one  of  the  most  perplexing  and  diflScult  in 
Hebrew  chronology.  I  am  inclined  to  take  Exod. 
13 :  40  as  literally  true,  to  believe  that  the  sojourn 
in  Egypt  covered  a  period  of  four  hundred  and 
thirty  years,  and  to  believe  that  there  is  some 
hiatus  in  the  genealogy  of  Moses,  as  is  often  the 
case  with  the  Hebrew  genealogies.  See  Gal. 
3  :  17,  note. — And  serve  me  in  this  place. 
These  words  are  not  in  Genesis.  Instead  is  the 
promise.  They  shall  come  out  with  great  substance. 
Analogous  to  Stephen's  language  here  is  God's 
promise  to  Moses  in  the  region  of  Mount  Sinai 
(Exod.  3 :  12).  "  When  thou  hast  brought  forth  the 
people  out  of  Egypt,  ye  shall  serve  God  upon  this 
mountain."  The  promise  that  they  shall  serve 
God  in  Canaan  is  however  implied  by  the  whole 
course  of  God's  dealings  with  the  patriarchs  and 


their  descendants,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
bring  into  the  land  a  chosen  people,  who  should 
serve  him,  and  him  only.  Stephen's  object  in  this 
reference  here  is  to  enforce  the  truth  that  the  wor- 
ship of  God  is  not  dependent  on  place — as  it  began 
before  Jerusalem  existed,  so  it  may  continue 
after  Jerusalem  is  destroyed ;  nor  exclusive — 
as  it  was  permitted  to  Abraham,  a  stranger  in  Pal- 
estine, and  to  Israel,  a  stranger  in  Egypt,  so 
should  it  be  to  the  Gentile,  a  stranger  in  Stephen's 
time,  in  the  land  of  Israel. 

8.  The  covenant  of  circumcision.  The 
covenant  is  recorded  in  Gen.  17  :  4-8,  and  is  in- 
terpreted spiritually  by  Paul  in  Gal.  3  :  15-18.  It 
embraced  God's  promise  to  be  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham and  of  his  seed.  Stephen,  like  Paul,  traces 
back  the  promise  of  grace,  which  made  Israel  the 
people  of  God,  to  a  period  long  preceding  the 
giving  of  the  law,  and  thus  indicates,  what  Paul 
more  directly  argues,  that  God's  covenant  is  not 
dependent  on  the  law.  Hence  in  prophesying  a 
change  of  the  customs  which  Moses  gave  (ch. 
6 :  u),  Stephen  has  said  nothing  against  the  God 
or  the  religion  of  Israel.  Thus  his  unexpressed 
conclusion  is  the  same  as  that  expressed  by 
Paul :  "If  the  inheritance  be  of  the  law  it  is  no 
more  of  promise  ;  but  God  gave  it  to  Abraham 
by  promise."  It  is  called  the  covenant  of  circum- 
cision., because  its  acceptance  by  Abraham  and 
his  seed  was  signified  by  the  rite  of  circum- 
cision (Gen.  17 : 9-14).  On  the  rite  itself  see  notes 
on  ch.  15. — And  so  he  besrat  Isaac.  So; 
i.  e.,  in  accordance  with  and  fulfillment  of  the 
divine  covenant  to  give  to  him,  and  his  seed  after 
him,  the  land  of  Canaan. 

9,  10.  The  patriarchs,  moved  with 
envy,  sold  Joseph  into  Egypt.  The  story 
of  Joseph  is  told  in  Genesis,  chaps.  37-50.  This 
statement  is  the  first  item  in  Stephen's  indict- 
ment of  the  children  of  Israel,  consummated  in 
the  indignant  outburst  of  vers.  51-53.  Joseph's 
brethren  know  not  their  appointed  deliverer, 
endeavor  to  make  away  with  him,  are  restrained 
from  murder  only  by  prudential  considerations. 
Yet,  as  later  by  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus  Christ 
(ch.  2 :  23),  Israel  unconsciously  executes  the  pur- 
poses of  God.  If  the  descendants  of  Abraham 
had  remained  in  the  free  nomadic  life  of  Pales- 
tine, they  would  have  been  dispersed.  In  their 
servitude  in  Egypt  they  became  compacted  into 
the  germ  of  a  great  nation. — Grace  and  wis- 


84 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIL 


Egypt  and  Chanaan,  and  great  affliction :  and  our  fa^ 
thers  found  no  sustenance. 

12  Buts  when  Jacob  heard  that  there  was  corn  in 
Egypt,  he  sent  out  our  fathers  first. 

13  And  at  the  second  time  Joseph  •■  was  made  if  nown 
to  his  brethren ;  and  Joseph's  kindred  was  made 
known  unto  Pharaoh. 

14  Then  sent  Joseph,  and  called  his  father  Jacob  to 
hint^  and  all'  his  kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen  souls. 


15  So  Jacob  went  down  into  Egypt,  and  died,  he, 
and  our  fathers, 

16  And  J  were  carried  over  into  Sychem,  and  laid  in 
the  sepulchre  that  Abraham  bought  tor  a  sum  of  money 
of  the  sons  of  Emmor  the  father  of  Sychem. 

17  But  when  the  time  of  the  promise  drew  nigh, 
which  God  had  sworn  to  Abraham,  the  people''  grew 
and  multiplied  in  Egypt, 

18  Till  another  king  arose,  which  knew  not  Joseph. 


g  Gen.  42  :  1,  2 h  Gen.  46  :  4,  16 iGen.  46  :  27  ;  Deut.  10  :  22 j  Josh.  24  :  32 ....  k  Eiod.  1  :  7-9. 


dom  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh.  Not  merely 
grace  mid  wisdom,  but  these  qualities  so  devel- 
oped and  manifested  as  to  be  apparent  to  the 
Egyptian  king.  Grace  here  may  either  mean 
gracefulness  in  manner,  which  was  apparently  a 
characteristic  of  Joseph  (Gen.  39 : 6 ;  41 :  u),  or  favor, 
i.  e.  with  Pharaoh,  or  divine  grace.  The  latter 
seems  to  me  to  be  the  best  interpretation  here, 
in  the  light  of  Gen.  41  :  38. — Governor  over 
Egypt,  and  all  his  house.  The  former 
phrase  signifies  Joseph's  civil  authority  in  the 
land,  the  second  his  position  in  the  royal  house- 
hold. He  was  both  prime  minister  and  lord 
chamberlain  ;  was  second  in  dignity  only  to  the 
king,  and  practically,  as  is  often  the  case  with 
the  prime  minister,  especially  in  oriental  coun- 
tries, was  the  ruler  of  the  land.  This  elevation 
of  Joseph,  attributed  by  Stephen,  as  by  the  O.  T., 
to  the  divine  favor,  is  another  evidence  that 
religion  and  God  are  not  confined  to  the  Temple, 
to  Palestine,  and  to  the  scrupulous  observers  of 
the  ceremonial  law. 

11-13.  There  came  a  dearth.  Such  ex- 
periences of  famine  as  are  described  in  Gen.  41  : 
54-57  are  unhappily  still  common  in  the  East. 
The  Persian  famine  is  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of 
American  readers.  For  a  terribly  graphic  de- 
scription of  a  modem  Egyptian  famine  see  Stan- 
ley's Jewish  Church,  Lect.  IV. 

14.  And  all  his  kin-lred  three  score 
and   fifteen   souls.    In  the  O.  T.  history  it  is 

three  score  and  ten  (Gen.  46  •.  27  ;  Exod.  1  :  5 ;  Deut.  10  :  S2). 

Apparently  Jacob's  household  (66),  Jacob  him- 
self, Joseph,  and  Joseph's  two  sons  (4\  make  up 
the  seventy.  In  the  Greek  version  of  the  O.  T. 
the  number  in  both  Genesis  and  Exodus  is 
changed  to  75,  showing  that  Stephen's  state- 
ment accords  with  the  popular  reading  of  the 
O.  T.  at  that  time.  No  other  explanation  of  the 
variation  is  necessary  for  those  who  believe  that 
Stephen,  in  such  a  minor  matter  of  detail,  would 
have  quoted  the  current  version  of  the  O.  T.,  as 
we  would  to-day  the  current  version  of  the  Bible, 
without  going  into  a  critical  examination  of  the 
passage  in  the  original.  The  point  he  has  to 
make,  that  Israel  went  down  into  Egypt  a  house- 
hold, and  came  out  of  Egypt  a  nation,  does  not 
depend  on  the  question  whether  there  were  70 
or  75  in  the  family. 

15,  IG.   And    were    carried    over    into 


Sychem,  etc.  In  two  respects  Stephen's  ac- 
count here  differs  from  that  of  the  O.  T.  (1.)  He 
represents  the  sons  of  Jacob  as  buried  in  Sychem  ; 
the  O.  T.  does  not  intimate  that  their  remains 
were  removed  from  Egypt  (oen.  so  :  26 ;  Exod.  1  :  e). 
The  explanation  of  this  variance  is  very  simple. 
Joseph's  remains  were  taken  to  Canaan  at  the 
time  of  the  exodus,  and  buried  in  Sychem  (Exod. 
13: 19;  Josh.  24:32) ;  and  though  nothing  is  said  iu 
the  O.  T.  of  the  removal  of  the  other  brothers, 
it  is  stated  by  Josephus  that  they  were  buried 
in  Hebron,  i.  e.,  in  Abraham's  purchase,  and  by 
the  Rabbinical  traditions  that  they  were  buried 
in  Sychem,  which  agrees  with  the  statement 
here.  There  is  absolutely  no  reason  whatever 
for  supposing  that  Stephen  confined  himself  to 
the  O.  T.  history  in  his  address ;  and  no  reason 
why  he  should  not  have  referred  to  other  sources 
of  ordinarily  accepted  history  among  the  Jews. 
(2.)  But  he  also  represents  the  burial  as  taking 
place  in  a  field  bought  by  Abraham  of  Ilamor's 
sons  (Emmor  being  the  same  as  Hamor) ;  whereas, 
according  to  the  O.  T.,  this  purchase  of  the  field 
in  Sychem  was  made  by  Jacob  (Gen.  33 :  19),  and  the 
burial  of  Jacob  was  in  the  field  of  Macphelah,  in 
another  part  of  Palestine,  bought  by  Abraham 
of  Ephron  the  Hittite.  In  respect  to  this  va- 
riance there  is  more  difficulty.  It  is  to  be 
observed,  however,  that  Stephen  does  not  say 
that  Jacob  was  buried  in  Sychem.  If  we  put  a 
period  at  the  end  of  verse  15,  his  language  will 
even  imply  the  reverse.  "So  Jacob  went  down 
into  Egypt,  and  died,  he  and  our  fathers.  And 
they  (i.  e.,  our  fathers)  were  carried  over  into  Sy- 
chem," etc.  His  language,  though  on  its  face 
ambiguous,  would  not  be  so  to  his  auditors,  to 
whom  the  facts  were  familiar,  of  the  burial  of 
Jacob  near  Hebron  and  of  his  sons  at  Sychem. 
The  only  real  diflBculty,  then,  consists  in  the  fact 
that  Stephen  attributes  the  purchase  at  Sychem 
to  Abraham,  whereas  it  was  made  by  Jacob. 
The  hypothesis  (Smith's  Bible  Diet.,  Am.  ed.) 
that  the  land  was  twice  purchased,  first  by 
Abraham  at  the  time  when  he  built  there  an 
altar  to  God  (cen.  12 : 6, 7),  and  afterward — the  land 
having  been  reoccupied  by  the  Shechemites 
— was  repurchased  by  Jacob,  is  possible,  but 
it  is  at  best  only  a  surmise.  I  should  prefer  to 
suppose,  with  Hackett,  that  in  Stephen's  address 
the  word  Abraham  has  been  substituted  in  some 


Ch.  VII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


85 


iQ  The  same  dealt  subtilly  with  our  kindred,  and 
evil-entreated  our  fathers,  so '  that  they  cast  out  their 
young  children,  to  the  end  they  might  not  live. 

20  In  which  time  Moses""  was  born,  and  was  exceed- 
ing fair,  and  nourished  up  in  his  father's  house  three 
months : 


21  And  when  he  was  cast  out,  Pharaoh's  daughter 
took  him  up,  and"  nourished  him  for  her  own  son. 

22  And  Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of 
the  Eg3'ptians,  and  °  was  mighty  in  words  and  in 
deeds. 

23  And  P  when  he  was  full  forty  years  old,  it  came 


1  Ezod.  1  :  22  ....  m  Exod.  2  :  2,  etc. ...  n  Ezod.  2  :  10  ....  o  Luke  24  :  19 p  Ezod.  2:11,  etc. 


very  early  copies  for  Jacob;  or  that  Luke,  in 
writing,  or  Stephen,  in  speaking,  substituted  the 
one  word  for  the  other  by  a  natural  mistake. 
And  I  quite  agree  with  Dean  Alford  that  "the 
fact  of  the  mistake  occurring  where  it  does  will 
be  far  more  instructive  to  the  Christian  student 
than  the  most  ingenious  solution  of  the  difficulty 
could  be,  if  it  teaches  him  fearlessly  and  honestly 
to  recognize  the  phenomena  presented  by  the 
text  of  Scripture,  instead  of  wresting  them  to 
suit  a  preconceived  theory." 

17-19.  The  time  of  the  promise.  That 
is,  the  time  for  its  fiilflUment,  as  indicated  in  the 
promise  itself  (Gen.  15 :  13). —  Which  knew  not 
Joseph.  Not  literally,  knew  nothing  about  him, 
but  was  indifEerent  to  him  and  the  service  he 
had  rendered  the  nation.  The  name  Pharaoh  is 
a  general  title  by  which  the  national  kings  of 
Egj'pt  are  all  known ;  but  it  represents  different 
and  even  antagonistic  dynasties.  The  Pharaoh 
of  the  oppression  belonged  to  a  different  dynasty 
from  that  of  the  Pharaoh  of  Joseph  ;  but  scholars 
are  not  agreed  in  their  identification  of  him  with 
any  king  known  in  Egyptian  history. — Dealt 
subtilely  with.  Rather,  cunningly  against. 
The  account  is  given  in  Exodus  (ch.  i) ;  the  king 
first  endeavored  to  destroy  the  male  children  by 
corrupting  the  midwives ;  not  until  that  failed 
did  he  openly  command  that  they  should  be 
murdered. — In  order  that  they  might  cast 
out  their  young  children.  The  original 
does  not  necessarily,  as  our  English  version,  im- 
ply that  the  Israelites  slew  their  own  children ; 
only  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Egyptian 
king  to  make  them  do  so. 

30,  31.  Was  exceeding  fair.  Literally, 
fair  for  God.,  i.  e.,  in  his  sight.  The  language  is 
simply  a  strong  expression  of  his  beauty  as  a 
babe,  and  answers  to  the  description  in  Exodus 
(2 : 2),  "goodly  child,"  and  in  Hebrews  (ii  :  23), 
"proper  child."  The  tradition  embodied  by  Jo- 
sephus  indicates  the  popular  belief  concerning 
his  remarkable  infantile  beauty.  "It  happened 
frequently  that  those  who  met  him  as  he  was  car- 
ried along  the  road  were  obliged  to  turn  again 
upon  seeing  the  child  ;  that  they  left  what  they 
were  about,  and  stood  still  a  great  while  to  look  on 
him ;  for  the  beauty  of  the  child  was  so  remark- 
able and  natural  to  him,  on  many  accounts,  that 
it  detained  the  spectators  and  made  them  stay 
longer  to  look  upon  him." — Pharaoh's  daugh- 
ter took  him  up.     See  Exod.  2  :  1-10.     His 


name,  Moses,  signifies  drawn  out.,  and  was  given 
to  him  because  he  was  drawn  out  of  the  water. 
Of  Pharaoh's  daughter  mentioned  here  and  in 
Exodus,  nothing  else  is  known. 

33.  And  Moses  was  instructed  in  all  the 
wisdom  of  the  Egyptians.  Instructed.,  not 
learned ;  the  original  indicates  his  education,  not 
his  proficiency.  This  is  not  stated  in  the  O.  T., 
but  it  is  implied  by  the  fact  that  he  was  adopted 
by  the  princess  and  educated  as  her  own  son.  The 
education  itself  was  a  fitting,  if  Aot  necessary, 
preparation  for  the  predestined  leader  of  Israel, 
and  the  fruits  of  it  appear  in  their  subsequent  his- 
torJ^  Some  of  their  laws  and  customs,  and  many 
of  their  arts,  had  an  Egyptian  origin.  The  Egyp- 
tians were  students  of  astronomy  and  chemistry, 
excelled  in  geometry  and  mathematics,  were  pro- 
ficient in  medicine,  surgery  and  practical  anat- 
omy, were  workers  in  fine  flax,  possessed  and 
worked  looms,  were  acquainted  with  glass  and 
glass  manufacture,  with  manufacture  of  pottery, 
iron  and  bronze,  with  the  forceps,  the  blow-pipe, 
the  bellows,  the  syringe,  and  the  siphon,  were 
skilled  in  the  art  of  architecture,  and  made  both 
sculptures  and  paintings ;  from  the  former  we 
derive  most  of  our  knowledge  of  their  life,  since 
in  them  their  trades  and  habits  are  fully  illus- 
trated.— Mighty  in  words  and  in  deeds. 
This  statement  is  not  derived  from  the  O.  T., 
which  even  implies  that  he  was,  in  his  early 
career,  slow  of  speech  (Exod.  4 :  lo-ie).  But  the  Jew- 
ish traditions  attribute  to  him  remarkable  mili- 
tary achievements  during  his  life  as  an  Egyptian 
prince.  Stanley  thus  condenses  into  a  paragraph 
the  substance  of  these  extra  Scriptural  legends 
concerning  his  youth :  "  He  was  educated  at 
Heliopolis  and  grew  up  there  as  a  priest  under 
his  Egyptian  name  of  Osarsiph  or  Tisithen.  He 
learned  arithmetic,  geometry,  astronomy,  medi- 
cine and  music.  He  invented  boats  and  engines 
for  building,  instruments  of  war  and  of  hydrau- 
lics— hieroglyphics — division  of  lands.  He  taught 
Orpheus  and  was  hence  called  by  the  Greeks 
Musaeus,  and  by  the  Egyptians  Hermes.  He 
was  sent  on  an  expedition  against  the  Ethi- 
opians. He  got  rid  of  the  serpents  of  the  coun- 
try to  be  traversed  by  letting  loose  baskets  full 
of  ibises  upon  them.  The  city  of  Hermopolis 
was  believed  to  have  been  founded  to  commem- 
orate his  victory.  He  advanced  to  the  capital 
of  Ethiopia  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Meroe,  from 
his  adopted  mother,  Merrhis,  whom  he  buried 


86 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VII. 


into  his  heart  to  visit  his  brethren  the  children  of  Is- 
rael. 

24  And  seeing  one  of  them  suflfer  wrong,  he  defend- 
ed /»/;«,  and  avenged  him  that  was  oppressed,  and 
smote  the  Egyptian  : 

25  For  he  supposed  his  brethren  would  have  under- 
stood how  that  God  by  his  hand  would  deliver  them  : 
but  they  understood  not. 

26  And  the  next  day  he  shewed  himself  unto  them  as 
they  strove,  and  would  have  set  them  at  one  again, 
saying.  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren ;  why  do  ye  wrong  one 
to  another  ? 


27  But  he  that  did  his  neighbour  wrong  thrust  him 
away,  saying.  Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge 
over  us  ? 

28  Wilt  thou  kill  me,  as  thou  didst  the  Egyptian 
yesterday  ? 

29  Then  fled  Moses  at  this  saying ;  and  was  a 
stranger  in  the  land  of  Madian,  where  he  begat  two 
sons. 

30  And  1  when  forty  years  were  expired,  there  ap- 
peared to  him  in  the  wilderness  of  Mount  Sina  an  angel 
of  the  Lord,  in  a  flame  of  fire  in  a  bush. 


q  Ezod.  3  :  3,  etc. 


there.  Tharbis,  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  Ethi- 
opia, fell  in  love  with  him,  and  he  returned  in  tri- 
umph to  Egypt  with  her  as  his  wife."  There  is 
nothing  in  all  this  inconsistent  with  the  Scrip- 
ture, which,  after  narrating  his  birth,  begins  the 
story  of  his  subsequent  life  with  his  defence  of  an 
Israelite  against  an  Egyptian  and  his  consequent 
flight  into  Midian.  Livingstone  argues  the  sub- 
stantial truth  of  these  traditions,  and  hoped  to 
discover  in  Central  Africa  some  evidences  of  this 
early  career ;  this  was  indeed  one  of  the  objects 
of  his  last  expedition  {Last  Journals,  p.  238). 

23-25.  And  when  he  was  full  forty  years 
old.  Nothing  is  said  in  the  O.  T.  of  his  age  at 
this  time,  but  this  statement  agrees  with  Jewish 
legends.  See  Lightfoot. — To  visit  his  breth- 
ren. Literally,  To  look  after  his  brethren.  The 
original  involves  the  idea  of  carrying  succor  (Matt. 

•26  :  .36  ;  Luke  1  .  68  ;  7  :  16  ;  James  1  :  27).      Comparing   the 

language  here  with  that  of  Luke  1 :  68  and  Heb. 
3  ;  6,  we  may  see  how  Moses  was  a  type  of  Christ, 
and  how  Christ  was  a  prophet  like  unto  Moses 
(ch.  3 :  22),  like  him  leaving  a  royal  court  and  going 
out  to  look  after  and  to  redeem  those  whom  he 
was  not  ashamed  to  call  brethren  (Heb.  2 :  11). — 
And  smote  the  Egyptian.  The  oppressor; 
and  slew  him  (Exod.  2 :  12). — For  he  supposed 
his  brethren  would  have  understood  how 
that  God,  by  his  hand,  gave  to  them  sal- 
vation. This  is  the  literal  rendering  of  the  ori- 
ginal, and  though  the  salvation  here  referred  to 
•is  unquestionably  temporal  deliverance  from  their 
bondage,  yet  the  use  of  the  language  is  signifi- 
cant. It  connects  Moses  with  Christ,  and  leads 
up  to  the  consummation  of  Stephen's  speech, 
that  Israel  has  alwa3's  been  blind  to  and  rejected 
the  proffered  salvation  of  God.  It  is  not  implied 
in  the  O.  T.  that  Moses  at  this  time  understood 
that  he  was  called  to  be  the  deliverer  of  Israel ; 
his  surprise  and  remonstrance  when  sent  by  God 
to  Pharaoh  (Exod.  4 : 1, 10, 13)  has  been  thought  by 
some  to  imply  that  prior  to  that  time  he  did 
not  comprehend  the  purpose  for  which  God  had 
raised  him  up.  This,  however,  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow  ;  from  Stephen's  interpretation  of 
O.  T.  history,  it  would  appear  that  Moses  in  his 
youth  lacked  the  needful  self-restraint  and  pa- 
tience for  his  work ;  that  he  undertook  the  task 


of  deliverance  in  self-confidence  and  self-reliance  ; 
that  his  failure  discouraged  him  ;  that  he  aban- 
doned his  purpose  and  fled ;  and  that  after  the 
forty  years  of  education  and  maturing  in  the  land 
of  Midian,  God  recalled  him  to  his  purpose  for 
the  accomplishment  of  which  his  spirit  of  mingled 
self-distrust  and  courage  then  fitted  him.  In 
Exod.  3  :  12,  Moses  undertakes  to  deliver ;  in 
Exod.  3  :  8,  God  avows  himself  Israel's  deliverer. 
Observe  the  significance  of  the  present  tense ; 
not,  would  give,  but  is  giving.  God  gave  Israel 
salvation  when  he  raised  up  Moses,  as  he  gave 
the  world  salvation  when  he  sent  into  it  his  only 
begotten  Son.  But  in  both  cases  much  remained 
to  be  done  before  the  perfect  fruits  of  the  salva- 
tion could  be  realized. — But  they  understood 
not.      Comp.  John  1  :  10,  11. 

26-28.  And  urged  them  to  peace,  say- 
ing. Sirs,  ye  are  brethren.  So  the  Gospel  is 
a  Gospel  of  peace,  and  urges  to  peace  on  the 
ground  that  God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  And  observe  that  Moses, 
like  Christ,  is  rejected  at  first,  not  because  he 
offers  deliverance,  but  because  he  demands  right- 
eousness.— Thrust  him  away.  Another  item 
in  Stephen's  indictment.  Ye  do  always  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost  (ver.  61).  So,  Israel  thrust  Moses  away 
and  sought  to  turn  back  to  Egj-pt  (ver.  39) ;  and 
finally,  thrust  away  Christ  as  their  King  and 
Saviour  (ct.  13 :  46) ;  and  so  many  still  thrust  away 
faith,  i.  e.,  trust  in  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Saviour, 
and  a  good  conscience,  i.  e.,  obedience  to  him  as 
their  King  (1  xim.  1 :  19). 

29,  30.  Then  iled  Moses  at  this  saying. 
Meanwhile  the  facts  came  to  Pharaoh's  ears  and 
he  sought  to  slay  Moses  (exo.i.  2 :  15). — And  Avas 
a  stranger  in  the  land  of  Madian.  The 
founders  of  Israel,  Abraham  in  Palestine,  the 
patriarchs  in  Egypt,  Moses  in  Madian,  were  all 
strangers  in  a  strange  land — a  ground  of  appeal 
to  them  to  exercise  consideration  to  the  stranger 

in  their  own  land  (Exod.  22  :  21  ;  Lev.  19  :  34;  Deut.  10  :  19). 

Madian  is  the  same  as  Midian.  The  land  was 
named  from  one  of  the  sons  of  Abraham  by 
Keturah  (ocn.  25:  i,  2, 4),  by  whose  descendants  it 
was  peopled.  As  they  were  a  nomadic  people, 
the  boundaries  of  their  land  were  never  clearly 
defined.  It  certainly  embraced  the  Sinaitic  penin- 


ch.  vn.] 


THE  ACTS. 


87 


31  When  Moses  saw  it,  he  wondered  at  the  sight : 
and  as  he  drew  near  to  behold  it,  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
came  unto  him, 

32  Saying,  I  am  the  God ''  of  thy  fathers,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 
Then  Moses  trembled,  and  durst  not  behold. 

33  Then  said  the  Lord  to  him,  Put'  off  thy  shoes 


from  thy  feet ;  for  the  place  where  thou  standest  is 
holy  ground. 

34  I  have  seeo^  I  have  seen,  the  affliction  of  my  peo- 
ple which  is  in  Egypt,  and  I  have  heard  their  groan- 
ing, and  am  come  down  to  deliver  them.  And  now 
come,  I  will  send  thee  into  Egypt. 


r  Matt.  22  :  32 ;  Heb.  11  :  16  ....  s  Josh.  5:15;  Eccles.  5  :  1. 


\ 


\ 


sula,  for  here  it  was  that  the  Lord  appeared  to 
Moses  (ver.  3o),  and  his  sojourn  in  this  peninsula 
was  a  part  of  his  preparation  for  conducting 
Israel  through  this  region  in  their  forty  years' 
wandering  in  the  wilderness.  But  the  entire 
territory  answered,  probably,  very  nearly  to  the 
modern  Arabia  Petra,  and  the  Midiauites  to  the 
modern  Arabs.  The  Midiauites  are  first  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  Moses  (Exod.  2 :  i5;  3 : 1). 
They  subsequently  became  dangerous  enemies 
of  Israel,  seduced  the  people  to  idolatry  and  to 
flagrant  vice  (Numb.,  ch.  25),  and  were  subsequently 
engaged  in  wars  with  them  (Numb.,  ch.  31 ;  josh.  13 : 2: ; 
Judges,  chaps.  6, 7,  s).  The  overthrow  of  the  Midiau- 
ites by  Gideon  was  so  complete  that  they  appear 
no  more  in  sacred  history,  though  referred  to  in- 
cidentally by  the   prophets  (isaiah  eo  :  6  ;  Hab.  3  :  ?). — 

Where  he  begat  two  sons.  His  wife  was 
Zipporah,  the  daughter  of  Reuel  (Exod.  2 :  is),  or 
Jethro  (Numb.  10 :  29),  a  priest  of  Midian.  The  two 
sons  were  Gershora  and  Eliezer  (Exod.  is :  3, 4).  The 
fact  is  here  stated  as  indicating  how  thoroughly 
Moses  made  Midian  his  home.  The  law-giver  of 
Israel  was  by  adoption  an  Egyptian,  by  his  own 
choice  a  Midianite ;  the  adopted  son  of  an 
Egyptian  princess,  the  son-in-law  of  a  Midian- 
itish  prince.  The  argument  against  the  Jewish 
enmity  to  the  Gentile  and  to  the  Gospel,  because 
glad  tidings  to  the  Gentile  as  well  as  the  Jew, 
was  the  more  effective  for  not  being  directly 
stated,  but  only  indirectly  implied. — And  when 
forty  years  were  expired.  The  length  of 
his  sojourn  in  Midian  does  not  appear  in  the 
O.  T.  But  Exod.  7  :  7  fixes  Moses'  age  at  the 
time  of  God's  appearing  to  him  as  eighty  ;  sub- 
tracting the  forty  years  spent  in  Egypt  (ver.  23), 
will  leave  forty  years  in  the  land  of  Midian. 
And  this  agrees  with  Jewish  traditions,  which 
divide  Moses'  life  into  three  eras  of  forty  years 
each,  one  in  Egypt,  one  in  Midian,  and  one  with 
the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness. — An 
angel.  The  words.  Of  the  Lord,  are  omitted  by 
Tischendorf  and  Alford.  Evidently,  however, 
the  visitor  was,  not  an  angel,  but  the  angel  of  the 
Lord,  i.  e.,  Jesus  Christ,  who  in  the  O.  T.  as  in 
the  N.  T.  is  the  manifestation  of  God  to  man. 
That  this  phrase  always  indicates,  not  a  messen- 
ger of  God,  but  a  manifestation  of  God,  is  clear 
from  many  passages  (see  Gen.  16 : 7-13 ;  22 ;  n,  12, 15,  le ; 
31 :  11, 13  i  48 ;  15, 16,  etc).  He  is  Called  also  the  angel 
of  his  presence  (isaUh  63 : 9),  and  the  messenger  of 


the  covenant  (msI.  3 ;  1),  and  is  identified  with  Christ 
by  Paul  (1  Cor.  10 : 9 ;  comp.  Heb.  11 :  26). — In  a  flame  of 
fire  in  a  bush  ;  which  was  not  consumed.  This 
fact  drew  Moses'  attention  to  it  (Exod.  3 : 2, 3).  The 
original  indicates  some  kind  of  a  bramble-bush. 
Fire  is  a  frequent  symbol  in  the  0.  T.  of  the 
divine  presence,  especially  when  manifested  for 
the  purpose  of  judgment,  of  punishment,  and  of 

purification    (Psalm  97  :  3;  Isaiah  33  :  14 ;   Heb.  12  :  29  ;  Rev. 

2 :  18).  Thus  God  manifested  himself  when  he 
came  to  destroy  Baal  and  purify  the  land  of  idol- 
atry (i  Kings  18 :  38) ;  thus  uow  whcn  he  came  to 
destroy  Pharaoh  and  to  redeem  his  own  people  ; 
thus  at  the  last  he  will  appear  in  flaming  fire 
when  he  comes  to  judge  the  world  (2  xhess.  1 :  s  j 

Heb.  10  :  27  ;  2  Pet.  3  :  :). 

31-34.  Stephen's  account  differs  in  two  par- 
ticulars from  that  in  Exodus.  There  the  fear 
and  trembling  is  not  stated  ;  here  it  is  given  as  a 
consequence  of  God's  disclosure  of  himself  in 
the  words,  "I  am  the  God  of  thy  fathers,"  etc. 
Here  the  command  to  unloose  the  shoes  is  put 
before,  there  subsequent  to  this  disclosure.  The 
variance  is  immaterial,  and  is  such  as  might  be 
expected  in  an  extempore  address  and  a  free  re- 
cital of  the  facts  from  memory. — I  am  the 
God  of  thy  fathers.  From  this  declaration 
Christ  deduces  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality 
of  the  soul  (Matt.  22 ;  32).  It  indicates  not  only 
that  the  patriarchs  were  living,  but  also  that 
they  were  recognized  as  living  by  Moses  and  his 
generation. — Put  ofli"  thy  shoes.  Rather  san- 
dals. The  Eastern  nations  remove  these  as  a 
token  of  reverence,  as  we  our  hats.  The  priests 
performed  all  their  ministrations  barefoot,  and 
the  modem  Arabs  always  leave  their  shoes  at  the 
door  of  the  mosque  on  entering.  See  Josh.  5 : 1.5. 
— The  place  where  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground.  This  was  five  hundred  years  before 
the  Temple  was  built.  As  God  revealed  him- 
self, and  by  the  revelation  sanctified  the  place, 
centuries  before  the  Temple  was  built,  so  he  might 
reveal  himself  elsewhere  after  the  Temple  should 
be  destroyed.  To  prophesy  that  destruction  was 
not  blasphemy  against  God  or  his  truth,  as  charged 
by  Stephen's  accusers  (ch.  6 :  u).  In  brief,  God  is 
not  identical  with  his  church,  nor  religion  with 
its  temple  and  ordinances ;  by  identifying  them 
the  Jews  dishonored  both  God  and  divine  truth ; 
Stephen  appeals  to  the  O.  T.  history  to  show 
how  God's  revelation  of  himself  was  not  confined 


88 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VII. 


35  This  Moses,  whom  they  refused,  saying.  Who 
made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge  ?  the  same  did  God  send 
to  be  a  ruler  and  a  deliverer,  by  the  hand  of  the '  angel 
which  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush. 

36  He  brought  them  out,  after"  that  he  had  shewed 
wonders  and  signs  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in  the 
Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness,  forty*  years. 

37  This  is  that  Moses  which  said  "  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up 
unto  you  01  your  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  him  "  shall 
ye  hear. 

38  This?  is  he,  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilder- 


ness, with  the  angel*  which  spake  to  him"  in  the 
Mount  Sina,  and  witk  our  fathers;  who""  received' 
the  lively  oracles  to  give  unto  us : 

39  To  whom  our  fathers  would  not  obey,  but  thrust 
ktin  from  them,  and  in  their  hearts  turned  back  again 
into  Egypt, 

40  Saying  <•  unto  Aaron,  Make  us  gods  to  go  before 
us :  for  as /or  this  Moses,  which  brought  us  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him. 

41  And  they  made  a  calf «  in  those  days,  and  oflfered 
sacrifice  unto  the  idol,  and  rejoiced  in  the  works  of 
their  own  hands. 


t  Esod  14  :  19;  Numb.  20  :  16 u  Exod.  7,  11,  14 v  Exod.  16  :  35 w  ch.  3  :  22;  Deut.  18  :  15,  18 x  Matt.  17  :  5 y  Heb.  2:2 

%  Isa.  6a  :  9;   Gal.  3  :  19 a  Exod.  19  :  3,  17 b  Deut.  6  :  27,  31 ;  John  1  :  17 o  Rom.  3:2 d  Exod.  32  :  1...  e  Deut.  9  :  16;  Pa. 

106  :  19,  20. 


to  temples  made  with  hands,  and  could  not  be, 
consistently  with  his  character.— I  have  seen — 
I  have  seen.  Literally,  Seeing,  I  have  seen.  An 
emphatic  expression  equivalent  to  I  have  surely 
seen,  in  Exodus.— The  affliction  of  my  peo- 
ple. The  divine  sUence  does  not  indicate  divine 
indifference.  For  four  hundred  years  this  afflic- 
tion had  continued,  and  this  groaning  had  gone 
up  to  God  ;  he  had  seen  and  heard,  but  not  in- 
terfered, because  the  time  for  the  fulfillment  of 
his  design  had  not  arrived.  He  always  sees  and 
hears. — To  deliver  them.  Literally,  To  take 
them  out.  The  idea  of  deliverance  is  accom- 
panied with  another,  viz.,  that  God  chooses  them 
as  his  peculiar  people.  The  promise  was  fulfilled 
only  partially  at  the  escape  of  Israel  from  Egypt ; 
it  was  consummated  by  the  covenant  at  Mount 

Sinai  (Exod.  19  :  6,  6). 

35,  36.  As  Stephen  proceeds  the  object  of 
his  address  appears  more  evident,  in  the  parallel 
between  Moses  and  Christ.  Both  were  rejected 
by  the  Jews  (comp.  Luke  19 :  14 ;  Matt.  21  •  42) ;  both  were 
chosen  of  God  to  fill  the  ofl3ce  denied  them  by 
man.  Observe  the  contrast  between  the  esti- 
mate of  Moses  by  the  Israelites  and  by  God  ;  by 
the  one  he  is  assumed  to  be  a  ruler  aud  judge; 
by  the  other  he  is  sent  a  ruler  and  deliverer, 
literally  a  ransorner.  The  Greek  word  (Avrgcurijc) 
ie  the  same  in  root  with  that  rendered  redeem  in 
Luke  24  :  21;  Titus  2  :  14;  1  Peter  1  :  18,  and 
redemption  in  Luke  3  :  38  and  Heb.  9  :  13.  The  de- 
liverance by  Moses  is  historically  a  prophecy  and 
type  of  the  redemption  by  Christ. — After  he 
had  shown  wonders  and  signs.  A  further 
suggestion  of  the  hardness  of  Israel's  heart,  who 
for  unbelief  were  condemned  to  forty  years'  wan- 
dering in  the  wilderness,  and  whose  unbelief  re- 
quired the  continuous  miracles  of  mercy,  and 
justified  the  divine  penalties  recorded  in  the 
history  of  that  period. 

37,  38.  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 
God  raise  up.  See  ch.  3  :  33,  note.  Stephen 
reminds  them  that  Moses  foretold  the  advent  of 
a  Messiah  like  himself.  He  thus  suggests  to  them 
that,  in  rejecting  the  Messiah,  they  are  rejecting 
Moses  ;  they,  not  he  (cb.  6 :  ii),  are  false  to  the  law 
and  the  law-giver. — This  is  he  that  was  in 


the  assembly  in  the  wilderness.  Not,  The 
church  ;  the  original  (txxAija^o)  stands  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint  for  the  Great  Congregation,  or  House  of 
Parliament,  the  popular  legislative  body  of  the 
Jewish  Commonwealth,  an  organization  between 
a  mass  meeting  and  a  representative  congress 

(Numb.  14  :  1-5,  10 ;   27  :  18-23 ;   1  Kiags  8:1-5;   1  Chron.  13  :  1-8 ; 

Ps.  22 :  22).  As  Moses  was  the  leader  of  this  Great 
Congregation,  so  Christ,  his  anti-type,  is  the  lead- 
er of  the  church,  i.  e.,  the  entire  body  of  Christ's 
disciples. — With  the  angel  (Jehovah)  *  *  * 
and  with  our  fathers.  With  both,  and  there- 
fore a  mediator  between  them ;  as  Christ,  the 
anti-type  which  was  to  be.  The  argument  is  the 
same  as  that  of  Paul  in  Gal.  3  :  19,  20  ;  Stephen's 
preaching  of  Jesus  Christ  as  a  mediator  between 
God  and  man  is  not,  as  charged,  blasphemy  against 
God  or  Moses ;  it  accords  with  the  divine  dispen- 
sation from  the  beginning ;  and  it  does  not  weak- 
en but  strengthens  allegiance  to  God. — Who  re- 
ceived the  living  oracles.  Oracles  (Aoyior)  are 
condensed,  pregnant  words.  They  are  called  liv- 
ing, not  because  they  are  life-giving,  for  that  is  not 
the  meaning  of  the  original  (?<''»-  is  never  equiva- 
lent to  iojoTToiwv),  and  the  law  given  by  Moses  has 
no  power  to  give  life  (Rom.  8:3;  Gal.  3 :  2i) ;  but  be- 
cause they  are  words  of  life,  i.  e.,  words  that  point 
to  and  give  counsel  respecting  spiritual  life,  not 
mere  civil  and  ecclesiastical  regulations,  and  be- 
cause they  have  a  vitality  which  has  made  them 
endure  with  undiminished  power  after  all  con- 
temporaneous literature  has  perished  (Matt,  s :  i8). 
39-41.  To  whom  our  fathers  ^vould  not 
obey.  A  further  illustration  of  the  persistent 
rejection  of  God  and  his  appointed  means  and 
messengers  by  the  Jews. — And  in  their  hearts 
turned  back.  Not, Wished  to  return  to  Egypt; 
this  wish  was  not  until  later  in  their  history  (Numb. 
14 : 4) ;  but  in  their  hearts  abandoned  God,  and 
so  established  the  idolatrous  worship  of  Egypt. 
The  Jews  (Exod.  32 :  4 ;  Neb.  9  :  is)  worshipped  the 
golden  calf  for  having  brought  them  out  of 
Egypt,  not  as  a  means  of  enabling  them  to  return 
thither. — Saying  unto  Aaron.  The  account 
is  in  Exod.  33  :  1-6.— This  Moses.  The  lan- 
guage is  that  of  contempt.  He  had  disappeared, 
and  his  disappearance  was  taken  as  an  evidence 


Ch.  VII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


89 


42  Then  God  turned,  and  gave'  them  up  to  worship 
thes  host  of  heaven  ;  as  it  is  written''  in  the  book  of 
the  prophets,  O  ye  house  of  Israel,  have  ye  offered  to 
me  slain  beasts,  and  sacrifices,  by  the  space  0/  forty 
years  in  the  wilderness  ? 


43  Yea,  ye  took  up  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch,  and 
the  star  of  your  god  Remphan,  figures  which  ye  made, 
to  worship  them  :  and  I  will  carry  you  away  beyond 
Babylon. 

44  Our  fathers  had  the  tabernacle  of  witness  in  the 


f  Ps.  81  :  12 g  Deat.  4  :  19  ;  2  Kings  17:16;  Jer.  19  :  13 ....  h  Amos  5  :  26,  i 


that  his  God  was  unworthy  of  their  confidence. 
They  made  a  calf  in  those  days.  The  apis, 
or  sacred  bull,  was  one  of  the  chief  deities  of 
Egypt ;  was  kept  at  Memphis  ;  had  in  its  honor 
an  annual  festival  lasting  seven  days,  which  was 
observed  with  songs  and  dancing  analogous  to 
the  festivals  of  the  Israelites  before  their  golden 
calf.  The  Israelites  had  participated  in  the 
Egyptian  idolatrous  worship  before  leaving 
Egypt  (Josh.  24 :  14).  The  golden  calf  was  doubt- 
less made  to  imitate  this  apis,  but  whether  as  a 
substitute  for  Jehovah  is  not  clear.  Possibly 
it  was  not  even  clear  to  the  Israelites  them- 
selves. Calf-worship  was  afterwards  intro- 
duced by  Jeroboam  into  the  Holy  Land,  at  the 
time  of  the  disruption  of  the  kingdom,  to  pre- 
vent the  northern  tribes  from  going  up  to  Je- 
rusalem on  the  great  feast-days  (1  Kings  12: 26-29), 
and  was  probably  brought  by  him  thither  from 
Egypt  (i  Kings  11 :  4o).  The  ox  was  a  common  form 
of  idol  in  the  East,  on  account  of  his  utility  in 
agriculture ;  and  recent  discoveries  in  Nineveh 
Imve  brought  to  light  well-preserved  colossal 
bulls. — And  rejoiced  in  the  works  of  their 
OAvn  hands.  All  substitution  of  self  for  God  is 
in  the  nature  of  idolatry ;  it  was  in  Stephen's 
time  the  sin  of  Israel,  who  trusted  in  their  own 
righteousness,   not  in  divine  grace  and  mercy 

(Luke  13:  11,  I2). 

42,  43.  Then  God  turned.  From  mercy  to 
judgment.  Observe  that  the  immutability  of 
God  is  not  inconsistent  with  either  inflections  of 
feeling  or  changes  in  providential  dealing. — And 
gave  them  up  to  worship  the  host  of  hea- 
ven. The  implication  is,  that  they  were  pre- 
served from  idolatry  only  by  the  preventing  grace 
of  God,  and  that  when  that  was  withdrawn,  they 
naturally  gravitated  into  idolatries ;  and  this 
agrees  with  the  teaching  of  Scripture  elsewhere 
(see  Rom.  1 :  24, 26, 28 ;  Hos.  4 :  n).  There  is  no  mention 
in  the  Pentateuch  of  star- worship ;  but  there  are 
frequent  traces  of  it  in  the  subsequent  history  of 

the  Jews  (2  Kings  21  :  3  ,  6 ;  23  :  4,  5  ;  Jer.  19  :  13  ;  Zeph.  1:5); 

and  they  were  warned  against  it  by  Moses  (oeut. 
4 :  19 ;  17 : 3).  It  was  a  commou  form  of  idolatry  in 
the  East  from  the  earliest  ages. — In  the  book 
of  the  prophets.  The  reference  is  to  Amos 
5  :  25,  26. — Have  ye  offered  to  me  slain 
beasts  and  sacrifices  ?  etc.  There  is  consid- 
erable difficulty  in  both  the  reading  and  the  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage.  Stephen  quotes  from 
the  Septuagint,  which  differs  from  the  original 
Hebrew.    The  English  reader  will  readily  per- 


ceive the  diflBculty  by  comparing  the  language 
here  with  the  following  translation  of  the  He- 
brew, from  Lange's  Commeidary  : 

Did  ye  offer  me  sacriflce  and  food  offerings 

In  the  wilderness  forty  years,  O  house  of  Israel  ? 

(No)  but  ye  bore  the  tent  of  your  King  (tabernacle  of 

Moloch), 
And  the  pedestal  of  your  images  (and  Chiun,  your 

images), 
The  star  of  your  God, 
Which  ye  made  for  yourselves. 
Therefore,  will  I  carry  you  away  captive  beyond  D^ 

mascus, 
Saith  Jehovah  whose  name  is  God  of  hosts. 

There  is  some  uncertainty  about  the  proper  ren- 
dering of  the  Hebrew  in  Amos,  but  this  appears 
to  me  to  give  the  sense  accurately.  How  it  has 
happened  that  the  Septuagint  differs  from  the 
Hebrew  is  not  known.  Accepting  the  reading  of 
the  Septuagint  and  the  N.  T.  here,  there  is  diffi- 
culty in  its  interpretation.  Some  suppose  that 
the  prophet  contrasts  the  worship  of  the  true 
God  by  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  with  the  later 
idolatries  under  the  kings,  thus  rendering  the 
passage.  Did  ye  not  offer  to  me  slain  beasts  ajid  sac- 
rifices forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  hut  {now)  ye 
have  taken  up  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch,  etc.  But 
this  does  not  accord  with  the  correct  grammat- 
ical rendering  of  the  original,  which  employs  the 
same  tense  in  speaking  of  the  sacrifices  in  the 
wilderness  and  the  worship  of  Moloch.  Others 
have  supposed  that  the  Israelites  did  actually 
carry  a  small  movable  shrine  and  image  of  hea- 
then idols,  and  thus  mingle  idolatry  with  the  wor- 
ship of  the  true  God  in  the  wilderness.  But  noth- 
ing of  the  sort  is  mentioned  in  the  Pentateuch, 
and  God,  who  disclosed  and  punished  the  sin  of 
Achan,  would  hardly  have  passed  by  such  a 
secret  idolatry  among  his  people.  It  seems  to 
me  that  the  language  is  that  of  bitter  sarcasm, 
such  as  is  not  unfrequently  employed  by  the  pro- 
phets. The  context  both  here  and  in  Amos  con- 
firms this  view,  as  does  the  analogous  teachings 
in  Isaiah  66  :  3.  Comp.  Isaiah  1 :  10-15.  So  inter- 
preted, the  prophet  refers  to  and  rebukes  the 
complacent  satisfaction  of  Israel  in  the  histoi-y 
of  the  fathers ;  self-complacency  makes  all  wor- 
ship vain.  The  tabernacle  in  which  they  gloried 
was  like  that  of  Moloch,  asid  the  worship  like 
that  of  Remphan.  So  Lange  (see  above)  apparently 
understands  the  original  passage.  Moloch  was  a 
PhcBuician  deity.  "  His  image  was  of  brass  with 
the  head  of  an  ox,  and  outstretched  arms  of  a 


90 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VII. 


wilderness,  as  he  had  appointed,  speaking  unto  Moses, 
that '  he  should  make  it  according  to  the  fashion  that 
he  had  seen. 

45  Which  J  also  our  fathers  that  came  after,  brought 
in  with  Jesus  into  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles,  whom  * 


God  drave  out  before  the  face  of  our  fathers,  unto  the 
days  of  David  ; 

46  Who  tound  favour'  before  God,  and  desired""  to 
find  a  tabernacle  for  the  God  of  Jacob. 

47  But  Solomon  "  built  him  an  house. 


i  Exod.  26  :  40  i  26  :  30  ;  Heb.  8  :  6. . .  .i  JosL.  3  :  14. . .  .k  Neh.  9  :  24  ;  Pa.  44  :  2 ;  78  :  66. 
'  '  6:1,  etc. ;  8 :  20. 


...I  ISam.  16:  l....m  1  Chron.  22  :  1....n  1  Kings 


man,  hollow  ;  and  human  sacrifices  (of  children) 
were  offered,  by  laying  them  in  these  arms  and 
heating  the  image  by  a  fire  kindled  within."— 
(Alford.)  To  this  image  the  Hebrews,  in  viola- 
tion of  explicit  commands  (Lev.  is  :  21 ;  20  :  2-6), 
offered  worship  (2  Kings  le :  3 ;  i? :  n ;  23 :  10),  sacrific- 
ing  their   children  to   it   (Jer  7  :  31  ;  Ps.  IO6  :  37,  SS  ;  Ezek. 

16 :  20, 21 ;  23 :  37),  though  this  was  long  subsequcnt 
to  the  wanderings  in  the  wilderness.  Who  the 
god  Remphan  is  was  long  a  matter  of  dispute. 
A  tablet  recently  discovered  in  Egypt  throws 
light  on  the  problem;  it  represents  a  group  of 
gods,  two  bearing  the  name  of  Rempu  (Remphan) 
and  Ken  (Chiun).  The  reference  is  probably  to 
the  worship  of  these  deities,  the  Hebrew  ia 
Amos  employing  the  name  of  Ken  or  Chiun,  and 
the  Septuagint,  and  therefore  Stephen,  for  some 
unexplained  reason,  substituting  the  name  of  the 
other  deity,  Rerapu  or  Remphan. — Beyond 
Babylon.  Stephen  substitutes  Babylon  for 
Damascus  in  the  original  prophecy  ;  perhaps,  as 
Alford  and  Hackett  suggest,  because  the  Baby- 
lonian captivity  was  the  one  most  memorable  in 
the  Jewish  annals. 

44-47.  That  Stephen  understands  the  lan- 
guage quoted  from  Amos  to  be  that  of  sarcasm  is 
indicated  by  these  verses.  He  goes  on  to  say,  that 
the  tabernacle  which  they  had,  and  which  the 
prophet  thus  describes  as  the  tabernacle  of  Mo- 
loch, was  made  by  Moses  according  to  the  divine 
pattern,  was  carried  by  Israel  into  the  holy  land 
at  the  time  when  they  drove  out  the  Canaanites, 
and  was  the  predecessor  and  germ  of  the  Temple 
by  which  they  set  so  much  store.  If  the  prophet 
could  stigmatize  it  as  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch, 
and  Solomon  could  declare  of  the  Temple  that 
it  was  not  the  true  dwelling-place  of  God,  Ste- 
phen was  guaty  of  no  blasphemy  in  what  he  had 
said  concerning  it  and  its  impending  destruction. 
Such  appears  to  me  to  be  the  connexion. — The 
tabernacle  of  witness.  The  language  is  the 
same  in  the  Greek  version,  though  different  in 
our  English  Bible,  in  Numb.  16  :  18,19.  The  taber- 
nacle was  called  the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, because  the  place  where  the  congregation 
of  Israel,  or  their  representative  Moses,  were  to 
meet  God  ;  and  the  tabernacle  of  witness,  be- 
cause it  was  a  perpetual  witness  to  the  covenant 
between  God  and  his  people.  It  was  a  movable 
structure,  with  board  sides  and  tent  roof, 
1.5  X  1.5  X  45  feet.  It  was  divided  by  a  curtain  into 
two  apartments,  the  holy  i)lace  and  the  Holy  of 
Holies.    In  the  first,  or  ante-room,  was  the  altar 


of  incense,  the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  the 
golden  candle-stick ;  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  was 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  with  the  mercy-seat 
above  the  ark,  and  the  two  tables  of  stone  con- 
taining the  ten  commandments  within  it.  For 
further  description  of  tabernacle,  with  illustra- 
tion and  plan,  see  Heb.,  ch.  9,  notes. — Accord- 
ing to  the  figure  that  he  had  seen.  God 
showed  Moses  the  pattern  in  the  Mount  (Exod. 
25 : 9, 4o).  Observc  the  contrast  with  ver.  43.  The 
figure  which  God  had  shown,  the  prophet  stig- 
matises as  the  figures  which  ye  made.  As  the 
brazen  serpent  made  at  God's  direction  by  Moses, 
when  employed  as  an  object  of  idolatrous  worship 
by  Israel,  became  Nehushtan,  a  mere  "thing  of 
brass,"  and  was  broken  in  pieces  (2  Kings  is :  4),  so 
the  tabernacle  and  the  Temple,  made  by  divine 
direction,  became  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch,  and 
the  figure  Of  men's  hands,  when  the  nation  trans- 
ferred its  worship  from  God  to  the  house. — 
Which  also  our  fathers  having  inherited. 
Not,  as  in  our  English  version,  whicfi  came  after. 
The  fact  stated  is  that  the  tabernacle  of  the  days 
of  Joshua  was  inherited  by  Israel  from  the  Mosaic 
dispensation  in  the  wilderness. — Brought  in 
with  Jesus.  That  is,  with  Joshua.  The  Greek 
equivalent  to  Joshua,  which  is  a  Hebrew  name,  is 
Jesus  ;  but  the  rendering  here  and  in  Heb.  4  :  8 
is  misleading  to  the  English  reader.  The  taber- 
nacle went  before  Joshua  when  he  crossed  the 
Jordan  (josh.,  ch.  4),  and  was  set  up  by  him  at  Shi- 
loh  (Josh.  IS ;  1),  where  it  remauied  throughout  the 
whole  period  of  the  Judges.  It  was  finally 
merged  in  the  Temple  erected  by  Solomon  at 
Jerusalem,  where  David  had  meanwhile  con- 
structed a  new  tabernacle  (2  Sam.  6 :  n ;  1  chron.  le ;  1). 
All  this  sacred  history  did  not  prevent  the  pro- 
phets calling  it  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch,  when 
it  became  an  object  of  idolatrous  reverence  among 
the  people. — In  their  taking  possession  of 
the  Gentiles.  That  is,  at  the  time  of  their  con- 
quest of  the  land  of  the  Gentiles.  So  Alford  and 
Alexander.  The  ark,  which  sanctified  the  taber- 
nacle, when  carried  by  the  priests  about  the  walls 
of  Jericho,  led  to  the  overthrow  of  that  city, 
which  was  the  key  to  the  whole  land  (josh.,  ch.  e). 
It  is  to  the  participation  of  the  tabernacle  in  the 
campaigns  of  Joshua  that  Stephen  here  refers. 
—Unto  the  days  of  David.  Not  until  his 
reign  were  the  enemies  of  Israel  completely  sub- 
dued ;  not  until  then  was  Jerusalem  captured  and 
made  a  Jewish  city  (2  sam.,  ch.  5). — Who  besought 
(permission)  to  find  a  dwelling  for  the  God 


Ch.  VIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


91 


48  Howbeit,"  the  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in  temples 
made  with  hands ;  as  saith  the  prophet, 

49  Heaven  p  is  my  throne,  and  earth  is  my  footstool : 
what  house  will  ye  build  me  ?  saith  the  Lord  :  or  what 
is  the  place  of  my  rest  ? 

so  Hath  not  my  hand  made  all  these  things? 

51  Ye  stiffnecked,i  and  uncircumcised  ■■  in  heart  and 


ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost :  as  your  fa- 
thers did,  so  do  ye. 

52  Which'  of  the  prophets  have   not   your  fathers 

Eersecuted?  and  they  have  slain  them  which  shewed 
efore  of  the  coming  of  the  Just'  One;  of  whom  ye 
have  been  now  the  betrayers  and  murderers  : 

53  Who  have  receivecf  the  law  by"  the  disposition 
of  angels,  and  have  not  kept  ii. 


0  ch.  n  :  '24 ;  1  Kings  8  :  27 p  Isa.  66  :  1,  '.' q  Exod.  32  :  9  ;   Isa.  48  :  4 


36  :  16 ;  1  Thesa.  2  :  16. . .  .t  cli.  3  :  14. . .  .u  Gal.  3  :  19. 


26  :  41  ;   Jer.  9  :  26 ;   Rom.  2  :  i 


of  Jacob.  See  3  Sam.  7:3;  1  Chron.  33  :  7 : 
Ps.  133  :  3-5.  The  Greek  word  is  not  the  same  as 
that  rendered  tabernacle  in  the  preceding  verses. 
David  did  pitch  a  te7it  for  God's  dwelling ;  he  de- 
sired permission  to  build  a  permanent  temple,  but 
this  was  denied  him.  Some  manuscripts  have 
here  for  the  Jiouse  of  Jacob,  and  this  reading  is 
adopted  by  Tischendorf.  But  Meyer's  conjec- 
ture that  it  was  early  adopted  to  avoid  a  seeming 
discrepancy  with  ver.  48,  seems  to  me  reason- 
able. There  is  good  authority  for  the  ordinary 
reading,  and  the  context  requires  it.— But  Solo- 
mon built  him  an  house.  The  worshiji  of 
God  went  on  under  Moses,  Joshua,  Samuel,  and 
David,  before  the  Temple  was  built ;  how  could 
the  destruction  of  the  Temple  be  a  destruction 
of  true  worship,  or  Stephen's  prophecy  of  its 
destruction  be  accounted  blasphemy  against  God  ? 
48-50.  The  historical  argument  that  God 
and  his  worship  are  not  dependent  on,  nor  iden- 
tical with,  the  Temple  and  its  service,  is  confirmed 
by  a  quotation  from  the  0.  T.  Ver.  48  embodies 
the  declarations  of  Solomon  (i  Kinscs  8  :  27)  and 
David  (2  Chron.  6 :  18).  The  language  of  the  Greek 
is  significantly  terse,  27ie  Most  High  dwells  not  in 
(what  is)  hatid  made,  Ver.  49  is  quoted  from 
Isaiah  66  :  1,  3.  Observe  Paul's  declaration  of  the 
same  truth  in  his  address  to  the  Athenians  (ch. 

17  :  24). 

51-53.  Stephen  breaks  ofE  in  the  midst  of  his 
argument  with  this  closing  invective.  Whether 
interrupted  by  some  act  or  gesture  on  the  part 
of  the  council  or  some  of  its  members,  or  by 
seeing  in  their  faces  the  gathering  signs  of  pride 
and  anger  and  disdain,  as  the  full  meaning  of 
his  historical  survey,  at  first  unperceived,  dawns 
upon  them,  or  by  the  fervor  of  his  own  spirit,  as 
the  dark  succession  of  apostasies,  idolatries,  and 
murders,  terminating  in  the  crucifixion  of  the 
Messiah,  unrolls  itself  before  him,  must  be  a 
matter  merely  of  surmise.  There  is  no  indica- 
tion of  an  actual  interruption ;  the  mere  over- 
flow of  fervid  indignation  seems  to  me  hardly 
compatible  with  the  character  of  Stephen  as  in- 
dicated by  the  course  of  his  address  ;  I  should, 
therefore,  incline  to  attribute  the  sudden  change 
in  its  tone  to  hostility,  if  not  actual  menace, 
manifest  in  the  countenances  of  the  council. — 
StiflT-necked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart 
and    ears.     The  appellation  of  stiff-necked  is 


borrowed  from  the  Pentateuch  (Kxod.  32 : 9 ;  33 : 3, 5 ; 
Deut.  9 : 6,  13).  It  refers  to  the  pride  and  stub- 
bornness of  Israel.  Uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ear 
are  figures  also  borrowed  from  the  O.  T.  (Lev. 

26  :  41 ;  Deut.  30  :  6  ;  Jer.  6  ;  10  ;  9  :  26).      CirCUmcisiOn   WaS 

a  sign  of  covenant  relations  with  God.  To  be 
uncircumcised  in  heart  is  to  be  in  heart  estranged 
from  God  and  excluded  from  the  privileges  of 
his  people  ;  to  be  uncircumcised  in  ear  is  to  be 
bereft  of  his  word,  the  possession  of  which  was 
accounted  rightly  the  peculiar  and  the  high 
privilege  of  the  Jews  (Rom.  s  :  2).  Though  in  for- 
mal possession  of  it,  the  Jews,  by  closing  their 
ears  to  its  instructions,  commands,  and  warnings 
(Matt.  19 :  15),  Were  as  the  Gentiles  who  had  no  access 
to  it.  Thus  both  in  heart  and  in  ear  they  were 
as  heathen  (Rom.  2 :  25-29). — Ye  do  always  resist 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Observe  the  incidental  evi- 
dence of  the  personality  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
that  he  was  not  first  revealed  at  Pentecost,  but 
dealt  with  and  was  resisted  by  Israel  throughout 

their   whole   history    (see  notes  on  ch.  2  :  4,  38,  39). — As 

your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye.  Very  analo- 
gous language  is  used  of  the  fathers  in  Isaiah 
63  :  10 ;  and  in  the  Epistles  Christians  are 
warned  not  to  resist  the  Holy  Spirit  (Ephes.  4  :  so ; 
1  Thess.  5 :  19).— Which  of  the  prophets  have 
not  your  fathers  persecuted,  etc.?  This 
language  is  not  to  be  taken  literally ;  all  the 
prophets  were  not  slain  ;  it  is  a  rhetorical  ex- 
pression signifying  the  general  spirit  of  dis- 
obedience and  hostility  to  God,  which  had  char- 
acterized the  Jewish  nation.  Comp.  3  Chron. 
36  :  16 ;  Matt.  31  :  35-89,  and  especially  Christ's 
parallel  denunciation.  Matt.  33  :  34,  35.  Observe 
the  change  in  Stephen's  language  ;  he  speaks  no 
longer  of  otir  fathers  (vers.  12, 15, 19),  but  of  your 
fathers.  Their  father  was  the  devil  (john  8 :  44), 
and  they  and  their  ancestry  partook  of  his  na- 
ture.—Of  the  Just  One.  The  Messiah.  The 
phrase  is  one  common  in  Rabbinical  literature  as 
a  designation  of  the  Messiah,  and  is  probably 
thence  borrowed  by  the  N.  T.  (see  chaps.  3 :  14 ;  22 :  14 ; 
1  Pet.  3:18;  James  5 : 6).  It  is  an  appropriate  designa- 
tion of  the  only  One  who  is  absolutely  just,  being 

without    sin    (l  Pet.  2  :  22,  with  1  John  1  :  8,  and  Rom.  3  :  23). 

— Betrayers  and  murderers.  Betrayers,  by 
accepting  and  employing  the  treachery  of  Judas ; 
murde)-ers,  by  unjustly  condemning  Jesus  to 
death,  falsely  accusing  him  before  Pilate,  and 


92 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VII. 


54  When  they  heard  these  things,'  they  were  cut  to 
the  heart,  and  they  gnashed  on  him  with  their  teeth. 

55  But  he,  being*  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up 
stedfastly  into  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and 
Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God, 


56  And  said,  Behold,  I  see  the"  heavens  opened, 
and  y  the  Son  of  man  standing  on  the  ri  ,ht  hand  of  God. 

57  Then  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped 
their  ears,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  accord, 

58  And  C2AV-  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  ^zw.' 


V  ch.  6  :  33 . . . .  w  ch.  6  :  5 x  Ezek.  1  :  1 ....  y  Dan.  7  :  13 .... «  Lake  4  ;  29 ;  Heb.  13  :  12, 13. 


inciting  the  mob  to  clamor  for  his  crucifixion. 
It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  both  the  bargain  with 
Judas  and  the  plans  to  wrest  an  unjust  sentence 
from  Pilate  were  made  by  the  Sanhedrim  before 
which  Stephen  was  now  speaking  (Mark  8 :  31 ;  Matt. 
26:14, 15;  27: 1,2). — By  the  disposition  of  an- 
gels. That  is,  through  the  ministrations  of 
angels.  The  ministry  of  angels  is  frequently 
referred  to  in  the  O.  T.,  but  not  directly  in  con- 
nection with  the  giving  of  the  law.  It  was, 
however,  a  Jewish  belief  that  they  were  present 
and  acted  as  ambassadors  or  interpreters  between 
God  and  Moses ;  this  belief  is  referred  to  by 
Herod  in  an  address  to  the  Jews  :  "  We  have 
learned  from  God  the  most  excellent  of  our 
doctrines  and  the  most  holy  part  of  our  law,  by 
angels  or  ambassadors"  (josephus' Ant.  15 : 6, 3).  It 
is  embodied  in  the  Septuagint  version  of  the 
O.  T.  in  Deut.  83  :  2,  where  in  Ueu  of  the  ex- 
pression, "  From  his  right  hand  went  a  fiery 
law,"  is  substituted  the  expression,  "On  his 
right  hand  angels  with  him."  Finally,  this  belief 
is  apparently  sanctioned  not  only  here  by  Stephen, 
but  also  by  Psalm  68  :  17 ;  Gal.  3  :  19,  and  Heb. 
2  :  2. — And  have  not  kept  it.  The  Jews 
gloried  in  the  fact  that  they  had  a  law  ;  Stephen 
turns  it  to  their  shame,  that  having  the  law  they 
did  not  keep  it.  The  argument  of  Paul  is  the 
same  in  Rom.  1  :  17-23. 

54-58.  They  were  cut  to  the  heart  (see 
ch.  5 :  33,  note). — Gnashed  on  him  with  their 
teeth.  The  same  language  is  used  by  our  Lord 
to  describe  the  finally  lost  (M.att.  8: 12;  i3:42,  etc.), 
whose  BufEering  is  that  of  an  impotent  rage,  not 
of  a  mere  remorse,  still  less  of  a  true  sorrow  for 
sin.  Observe  that  the  passions  of  hell  break 
forth  in  manifestations  of  rage  and  malice  even 
on  earth. — But  he,  being  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  divine  presence  grew  the  clearer 
as  the  human  enmity  grew  stronger  and  more 
furious.  —  Attent  upon  the  heaven.  No 
longer  concerned  by  the  council  before  which  he 
stood.  The  implication  is  that  the  council  was 
held  in  some  place  where  the  heavens  were  visi- 
ble ;  perhaps  in  one  of  the  open  courts  of  the 
Temple,  or  the  court -yard  of  the  high-priest's 
palace.— Saw  the  glory  of  God.  The  light 
unapproachable  in  which  God  is  represented  as 
clothed  (1  Tim.  6 :  16),  manifested  in  O.  T.  times  by 
the  appearance  of  the  Shechinah,  the  cloud  of 
light,  called  both  in  O.  T.  and  N.  T.  the  (jlory  of 

God  (Exod.  16  :  10;   24  :  17  ;    Luke  2:9;   Matt.  16:27).      ScC 

Matt.  17  :  5,  note,  and  observe  how  this  close  of 


Stephen's  speech  brings  him  back  to  his  starting- 
point,  the  whole  address  having  related  to  the 
God  of  glory  (vcr.  2),  i.  e.,  to  his  self-manifesta- 
tion, which  began  with  his  appearance  to  Abra- 
ham, and  is  consummated  in  the  earthly  life, 
and,  finally,  in  the  heavenly  glory  of  Jesus 
Christ. — And  Jesus  standing  on  the  right 
hand  of  God.  The  language  certainly  implies 
a  difference  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  and  is 
inconsistent  with  Sabellianism,  which  represents 
the  Trinity  as  one  of  manifestation  only ;  for 
here  Stephen,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  sees  at  the 
same  time  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Christ  is 
represented  as  standing,  not,  as  Chrysostom,  that 
he  may  show  his  attitude  of  help  to  the  martyr, 
for  he  does  not  interfere  for  Stephen's  deliver- 
ance ;  rather  to  receive  him.  May  it  not  be  re- 
garded as  a  mark  of  special  honor  that  the  Lord 
receives  the  first  martyr  standing  ?  On  the  whole 
vision  Alford  well  remarks:  "Stephen,  under 
accusation  of  blaspheming  the  earthly  temple,  is 
granted  a  sight  of  the  heavenly  temple ;  being 
cited  before  the  Sadducaic  high-priest,  who  be- 
lieved neither  angel  nor  spirit,  he  is  vouchsafed 
a  vision  of  the  heavenly  High-Priest,  standing 
and  ministering  at  the  throne,  amidst  the  angels 
and  just  men  made  perfect.'' — The  Son  of  man 
standing.  The  phrase,  Son  of  man,  is  used  by 
Daniel  prophetically  of  the  Messiah,  and  by 
Christ  of  himself,  but  never  in  the  N.  T.  by  the 
sacred  writers  in  speaking  of  him,  except  here 
and  in  Rev.  1  :  13 ;  14  :  11  Why  is  it  used  here  ? 
Stephen,  impelled  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  employs 
the  very  same  words  in  which  Jesus  himself  had, 
before  this  same  council,  foretold  his  second 
coming  in  glory  (Matt.  26 :  64),  and  thus  he  indi- 
cates to  them  that  the  glorification  of  the  Just 
One,  whom  they  had  betrayed  and  murdered, 
had  already  begun.  Moreover,  he  thus  empha- 
sizes the  truth  that  it  is  Christ  in  his  mediatorial 
capacity,  Christ  the  Saviour,  Christ  with  all  his 
human  sympathies  and  affections,  Christ  the 
Son  ofma7i,  no  less  than  the  Son  of  God,  who  is 
ever  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  who  there 
awaits  the  coming  of  his  own  unto  him.  Observe 
in  this  revelation  a  confirmation  of  the  reality 
and  the  nearness  of  the  spirit  world.  Comp. 
2  Kings  6  :  17. 

57,58.  It  appears  to  me  very  clearly  that 
this  was  the  act  of  a  rnob,  not  the  regular  and 
formal  execution  of  a  judicial  sentence,  which 
could  not  be  executed  legally  by  the  Jews  with- 
out the  sanction  of  the  Roman  procurator  (john 


Ch.  VIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


93 


and  the  witnesses  °  laid  down  their  clothes  at  a  young 
man's  feet,  whose  name  was  »  Saul. 

59  And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling  upon  Gody  and 
saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive"  my  spirit ! 


60  And  he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud 
voice.  Lord,  lay"  not  this  sin  to  their  charge.  And 
when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep. 


a  ch.  6  :  13 . . . .  b  ch,  8  :  1,  3 ;  22  :  20 c  Ps.  31  :  6  ;  Luke  23  :  46 d  Matt.  6  •  44  ;  Luke  23  :  34. 


18 :  31).  There  is  no  indication  here  of  any  formal 
vote,  or  any  sentence.  Possibly  the  high-priest, 
having  experienced  so  great  difficulty  in  wresting 
a  death-sentence  from  Pilate  in  the  case  of  Jesus 
Christ,  thought  it  easier  to  incite  a  mob  to  exe- 
cute it  directly,  without  the  forms  of  law.  But 
though  not  formally  pronounced,  it  is  clear  that 
the  informal  sentence  of  the  council  was  death, 
expressed  rather  by  their  actions  than  by  their 
words.  Stoning  was  a  common  method  of  exe- 
cuting the  death  penalty  among  the  Jews,  and 


-""Ajs 


^M. 


DEATH   OF    STEPHEN. 

was  especially  prescribed  for  blasphemy  (Lev. 
24 :  16).    It  was  necessarily  without  the  walls  of 

the    city    (Lev.  24  :  U  ;   Numb.  15  :  35 ;   1  Kings  21  :  13  ;    Heb. 

13 .  12).  The  two  witnesses  who  were  required 
under  Jewish  law  in  order  to  the  condemnation 
of  every  accused  person,  were,  on  the  infliction 
of  the  sentence,  to  cast  the  first  stones  ;  after- 
ward the  people  generally  were  to  join  (Deut. 
n :  6-7).  In  order  to  be  disencumbered,  they  first 
laid  off  the  outer  garment,  the  cloak  or  mantle 
(ijuurtor),  leaving  on  only  the  under-garment  or  tu- 


nic (/troiv).  These  cloaks  are  put  in  Saul's  charge 
for  safe-keeping.  Of  his  age,  the  phrase  young 
man  gives  little  idea.  He  could  hardly  have 
been  over  forty ;  if,  as  was  apparently  the  case 
from  his  participation  in  the  action  of  the  council 
here,  and  from  the  commission  given  to  him  in 
ch.  9  : 1,  2,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
he  must  have  been  more  than  thirty.  The  ac- 
companying illustration  represents  the  tradition- 
al site  of  Stephen's  death,  at  St.  Stephen's  gate, 
now  called  Damascus  gate.  Some  portions  of  it 
are  very  ancient,  showing  the  Hebrew  style  of 
building. 

59,  60.  Calling  upon  God  and  saying. 
Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  The  word 
God  is  added  by  the  translators,  but  correctly 
represents  the  sense  of  the  original  which  is  lit- 
erally, Invoking  and  saying.  Observe  that  the 
N.  T.  represents  Jesus  Christ  as  an  object  of  wor- 
ship, here  of  petition  in  the  supreme  moment 

of  life  (comp.  Matt.  28  :  17  ;   Luke  54  :  62  j   Heb.  1:6;   Rev.  5  :  13, 

14),  and  that  nowhere  in  the  N.  T.  is  such  petition 
presented  by  any  disciple  to  saint,  angel,  or  other 
created  being.  ObseiTC,  too,  that  this  prayer  to 
Christ  was  uttered,  and  this  vision  of  him,  stand- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God,  was  vouchsafed, 
when  Stephen  \\a,s  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  one 
is  therefore  assuredly  no  error,  and  the  other  no 
illusion.  In  Stephen's  twofold  prayer,  receive 
my  spirit  and  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge,  he  fol- 
lows the  example  set  him  by  his  Lord  (Luke  23 :  34, 
46).  The  former  petition  is  re-echoed  in  Paul's 
utterance,  "I  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him 
against  that  day"  (2 Tim  1:12);  and  the  whole 
scene  may  well  have  been  present  in  the  apostle's 
mmd  when  he  wrote  Phil,  1  :  23  and  2  Tim.  4  :  8. 
Stephen's  prayer  for  forgiveness  of  his  enemies 
is  a  sufficient  answer  to  those  critics  who  have 
wished  to  see  in  the  outbreak  of  vers.  51-53,  an 
indication  of  unseemly  passion.  The  original  is 
literally.  Weigh  not  against  them,  this  sin,  and  is 
well  interpreted  by  Wordsworth,  "  When  thou, 
the  Judge  of  all,  weighest  their  actions  in  thy 
balance,  do  not  place  this  sin  in  the  scale  against 
them."  The  conversion  of  Saul  was  an  answer 
to  this  prayer,  for  it  shows  that  the  perpetrators 
of  the  crime  were  not  thereby  excluded  from  the 
divine  mercy.  See  1  Tim.  1 :  16.  Stephen's  calm 
committal  of  his  spirit  to  his  Lord,  is  so  palpably 
inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  of  a  state  of  pur- 
gatory, or  sleep,  between  death  and  the  judg- 
ment, that  Roman  Catholic  theology  exempts  all 
martyrs  from  purgatorial  discipline. — He  fell 


94 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

AND  Saul  <^  was  consenting  unto  his  death.  And 
at  that  time  there  was  a  great  persecution  against 
the  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  they  were  all 
scattered  f  abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judsea 
and  Samaria,  except  the  apostles. 


2  And  devout  men  carried  Stephen  to  his  burial, 
and  made  great  lamentation  over  him. 

3  As  tor  Saul,  he  e  made  havoc  of  the  church,  enter- 
ing into  every  house,  and  haling  men  and  women, 
committed  them  to  prison. 

4  Therefore  they  that  were  scattered  abroad,  went 
every  where  preaching  the  word. 


e  ch.  7  :  68 . . . .  f  ch.  11 :  19 . . . .  g  ch.  26  :  10, 11 ;  Gal.  1  :  13. 


asleep.  A  characteristic  Christian  expression 
for  death,  though  found  also  in  the  Hebrew  Rab- 
binical writers.  Augustine  traces  a  parallel  be- 
tween the  death  of  Stephen  and  that  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  charges  the  same,  the  condemnation 
the  same,  the  prayers  the  same.  But  observe 
also  the  contrast :  Christ  crucified,  a  lingering 
death ;  Stephen  stoned,  an  almost  immediate 
death ;  Christ  forsaken  of  his  Father  (Matt.  11  -.  46), 
Stephen  with  the  glory  of  God  and  of  his  Lord 
and  Saviour,  radiant  before  him. 

Ch.  8  :  1-4.  FIRST  POPULAR  OUTBREAK  AGAINST  THE 
CHURCH,  ANI)  THE  RESULT.  God's  provedbncb  ex- 
pels HIS  CHUECH  FKOM  ITS  REST  AKD  IMPELS  IT  TO  ITS 
APPOINTED  WORK  (Deut.  32  ;  11). 

March  A.  d.  3.5  or  36.  The  death  of  Stephen 
marks  a  transition  in  the  history  of  the  church 
(see  p.  80).  Henceforth  the  sacred  narrative 
describes  the  diffusion  of  the  Gospel  throughout 
the  Gentile  world.  The  initiation  of  this  move- 
ment is  due  to  the  persecution  inaugurated  by 
the  martyrdom  of  Stephen;  it  begins  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  Samaria ;  it  is  carried 
on  without  the  apostles,  chiefly  by  the  Greek  con- 
verts; it  receives  a  new  impulse  in  the  conver- 
sion of  Saul ;  it  is  directly  sanctioned  by  the 
divine  vision  vouchsafed  to  Peter,  and  the  com- 
mission given  to  him  (chaps,  lo,  n) ;  and  it  is  finally 
adopted  as  the  doctrine  and  policy  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  by  the  commission  of  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas as  missionaries  to  the  Gentiles  (ch.  13 : 1-3). 

1,  2.  And  Saul  was  consenting  unto  his 
death.  Literally,  %oas  taking  pleasure  in;  the 
original  {avvivioxiw)  is  so  rendered  in  Rom.  1 :  33 ; 
and  1  Cor.  7  :  13,  13.  The  similarity  of  the  lan- 
guage here  and  in  Acts  83  :  20  raises  the  presump- 
tion tliat  Luke's  authority  for  this  statement 
was  Paul's  speech  in  Jerusalem.  We  are  not 
necessarily  to  suppose  a  malignant  pleasure  in 
Stephen's  suffering ;  rather  the  pleasure  of  a  per- 
verted conscience  in  the  punishment  of  what  Saul 
regarded  as  a  heinous  crime. — At  that  time. 
Literally,  In  that  day.  Matt.  13  : 1 ;  John  14  :  20 ; 
16  :  33,  36,  indicates  that  day  need  not  necessa- 
rily be  taken  literally,  but  it  may  be  so  taken 
here.  It  will  then  indicate  that  the  mob,  incited 
by  the  work  of  their  own  passions,  went  directly 
from  Stephen's  corpse  to  the  customary  places  of 
Christian  assembly  to  disperse  them.  Why  this 
-  popular  outbreak  against  Christianity,  when,  up 


to  this  time,  the  people  had  welcomed  and  even  de- 
fended it  (ch.  2  :  41,  41 ;  4  :  21 ;  5  :  12-16,  26)  V  Such  tran- 
sitions of  popular  feeling,  which  is  always  fickle, 
are  common.  The  triumphal  entry  and  the  cru- 
cifixion of  Jesus  Christ  is  parallel  (Luke  19 :  37,  ss ; 
23 :  18, 21,  etc.).  So  loug  as  the  apostlcs,  who  were 
Hebrews,  preached  the  Gospel  to  the  Hebrews, 
and  the  issue  was  between  them  and  the  Saddu- 
cees,  who  were  powerful  but  unpopular,  the 
feeling  of  the  people  was  with  the  apostles. 
When  the  Gospel  was  preached  by  a  Greek,  and 
accompanied  with  the  declaration  that  Jerusalem 
and  the  Temple  would  be  destroyed,  and  the 
offer  of  mercy  made  to  all  nations,  it  became 
odious.  Comp.  Luke  4  :  33,  88  ;  John  6  :  15,  66. — 
They  were  all  dispersed.  Literally  true,  so 
far  as  this,  that  all  the  Christian  assemblages 
were  broken  up,  the  body,  which  had  hitherto 
met  daily  (ch.  2 :  46),  was  scattered  ;  but  all  the  dis- 
ciples were  not  driven  out  of  Jerusalem — Ex- 
cept the  apostles.  The  twelve  apostles  repre- 
sented the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  and  were  ap- 
pointed primarily  to  witness  the  truth  to  the 
Hebrews,  with  whom  they  were  in  national  sym- 
pathy, and  whose  religious  prejudices,  to  some 
extent,  they  shared  (ch.  9 :  14).  When  the  era  of 
preaching  to  the  Gentiles  was  inaugurated,  it 
was,  by  divine  providence,  entrusted  to  Greeks; 
and  we  have  no  account  of  any  ministry  to  the  Gen- 
tiles by  any  of  the  twelve,  except  Peter  and  John. 
Observe,  too,  (1)  the  indication  that  the  apos- 
tles were  not  the  authoritative  leaders  of  the  early 
church ;  for  this  radical  change  in  its  ministry, 
was  inaugurated  without  them  ;  it  was  a  spon- 
taneous, not  an  ecclesiastical  movement ;  (2)  that 
God,  who  called  fishermen  to  be  apostles,  called 
laymen  to  be  missionaries,  that  thus  he  might 
show  that  the  power  is  of  God,  not  of  men.  Why 
the  twelve  remained  at  Jerusalem  is  not  clear. 
Perhaps  they  hoped  for  the  speady  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Messiah  there,  in  his  second  coming. 
The  fact  that  they  could  so  remain,  shows  that 
the  persecution  was,  as  yet,  fitful,  the  action  of  a 
mob  rather  than  of  the  authorities,  and  th.it  in 
Jerusalem  it  spent  itself  in  breaking  up  the  Chris- 
tian assemblies,  except  as  Saul  (ver.  3)  pushed  his 
inquisition  further.  —  Devout  men.  Whether 
Christians,  or  godly  Jews  not  yet  brought  to  the 
acceptance  of  Christianity,  but  sincerely  desir- 
ing to  know  the  truth,  and  impressed  by  the  sin- 
cerity and  earnestness  of  Stephen,  is  uncertain ; 


Ch.  VIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


95 


5  Then  Philip  •>  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria, 
and  preached  Christ  unto  them. 

6  And  the  people  with  one  accord'  gave  heed  unto 


those  things  which  Philip  spake,  hearing!  and  seeing 
the  miracles  which  he  did. 
7  For  ^  unclean  spirits,  crying  with  loud  voice,  came 


h  ch.  6  :  5 i  2  Chron.  30  :  12 j  John  4  :  41, 42 k  Mark  16  :  17. 


probably  the  latter,  since  the  phrase  devout  men 
is  never  used  in  the  N.  T.  to  describe  Christians. 
Acts  22  :  12  is  not  an  exception,  for  there  Ananias 
is  described,  not  as  a  Christian,  but  as  "  a  devout 
man  according  to  the  law,''''  i.  e.,  according  to  the 
Jewish  standard. — Devout  men  *  *  *  made 
great  lamentation  over  him.  Literally, 
made  a  great  beating,  the  ordinary  Jewish  lamen- 
tation being  accompanied  with  beating  on  the 
breast  and  the  like.  See,  for  description,  Mark 
5  :  38,  note.  This  language  implies  that  these 
devout  men  were  still  Jews  in  their  feelings  and 
customs,  whether  in  heart  Christians  or  no. 

3,  4.  But  Saul  made  havoc  of  the 
church.  The  original  verb  (/.vuuImiuui)  "is 
properly  used  of  wild  beasts,  or  of  hostile  armies 
devastating  or  ravaging."  —  (Alfoi-d.) — Enter- 
ing from  house  to  house.  Not  every  house. 
This  is  not  asserted,  and  could  hardly  be  literally 
true.  This  action  of  Saul  is  stated  as  excep- 
tional. The  intense  fervor  of  his  spirit  showed 
itself  in  the  vigor  with  which  he  prosecuted  the 
persecution;  he  was  determined  to  stamp  out  the 
heresy  in  its  inception.    On  his  character  and  pre- 


vious life,  see  note  on  Saul's  Conversion,  ch.  9 : 1-9. 
— Haling  men  and  women.  Dragging  them 
forcibly  before  the  Jewish  magistrates,  or  to 
prison.  The  fact  that  women  were  victims  of 
this  persecution  is  stated  to  show  the  vehemence 
of  Saul's  persecuting  spirit. — Committed  them 
to  prison.  For  trial.  Paul  gives  some  addi- 
tional particulars  concerning  this  persecution, 
which  apparently  lasted  for  some  months ;  per- 
haps throughout  the  summer.  The  Christians 
were  scourged  in  the  synagogues  ;  were  impris- 
oned ;  in  some  instances  were  put  to  death ;  the 
only  apparent  escape  was  by  blaspheming  the 
name  of  Christ,  i.  e.,  openly  renouncing  alle- 
giance to  him,  and  adopting  the  Jewish  verdict, 
that  he  was  an  impostor  worthy  of  death  (Acts  22:4, 

19  ;  26  :  9-11  ;  1  Tim.  1  :  13.    See  also  1  Cor.  15  :  9;   Gal.  1  :  13). — 

Went  everywhere.  This  has  since  become 
literally  true  ;  but  at  this  time  the  dispersion  of 
the  Christians  could  hardly  have  extended  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  Palestine.  The  original  im- 
plies no  more;  it  is  literally ^assecZ  through,  i.  e., 
the  country. — Preaching  the  word.  Observe 
that  this  word  requires  no  defining.     As  the  O.  T. 


r 


was  to  the  Jews  the  Scriptures,  i.  e.,  the  writings, 
and  the  O.  T.  and  the  N.  T.  are  to  us  the  Bible, 
i.  e.,  the  book,  so,  to  these  early  Christians,  the 
only  word  was  the  word  of  life  through  Jesus 
Christ. 

Ch.  8  :  5-24.  FIRST  MISSIONARY  PREACHING  OF 
THE  GOSPEL  IN  SAMARIA.  CASK  OF  SIMON  MAGDS. 
Trtte  conversion  dllustbated  bt  a  case  op  spu- 
rious ooNVEEsioN.  See  note  below,  On  the  case  of 
Simon  Mague. 


5-8.  Then  Philip  went  down  to  a  city 
of  Samaria.  It  was  literally  w/>  from  Jemsa- 
lem,  the  city  of  Samaria  being  about  forty  miles, 
in  a  straight  line,  north,  on  the  road  to  Galilee. 
The  original  is  ambiguous,  and  may  be  rendered 
the  city  of  Samaria,  i.  «.,  the  city  of  that  name, 
or  a  city  of  Samaria,  i.  e.,  a  city  in  that  district ; 
some  suppose  Sychar.  Samaria  was  built  by 
Omri,  king  of  Israel,  about  925  b.  c,  on  a  hill ; 
derived  its  name,  probably,  from  the  original 


96 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


out  of  many  that  were  possessed  with  tketn  :  and  many 
taken  with  palsies,'  and  that  were  lame,™  were  healed. 

8  And  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city. 

9  But  there  was  a  certain  man,  called  Simon,  which 


beforetime  in  the  same  city  used  sorcery,"  and  be- 
witched the  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out"  that  him- 
self was  some  great  one : 
10  To  whomP  they  all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to 


I  ch.  9  :  33,  34 ;  Mark  2  :  3-11 . . . .  m  Matt.  11  :  6  .  .  . .  n  ch.  13  :  6  ;  Rev,  22  :  IB . . . .  o  ch.  5  :  36  ;  2  Tim.  3  :  2,  5  ....  p  2  Cor.  11  :  19. 


owner  of  the  hill,  Shemer ;  was  the  capital  of  the 
ten  tribes  until  the  time  of  the  captivity  ;  was  a 
prominent  centre  of  the  idolatrous  worship  in- 
troduced by  Ahab,  and  the  site  of  a  temple  to 
Baal  built  by  him  and  destroyed  by  Jehu ;  was 
rebuilt  by  Herod,  and  called  by  htm  Sebaste,  the 
Greek  equivalent  of  Augustus,  his  imperial 
patron.  It  is  the  modern  Sebastieh,  a  village 
constructed  out  of  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  city 

(l  Kings  16  :  24,  32  ;  2  Kings  10  :  27 ).      PMHp  iS  the    dcaCOU 

(Acts  6 : 5),  not  the  apostle  (Matt,  lo :  3),  as  is  evident 
from  vers.  1  and  l-i.  The  persecution  being,  ap- 
parently, especially  directed  against  the  Greeks, 
he  would  naturally  be  driven  out  of  Jerusalem 
by  it.  Except  the  description  of  his  work  here, 
nothing  is  known  of  him  but  the  fact  that  he 
became  a  well-known  preacher,  was  called  Philip 
the  evangelist,  probably  to  distinguish  him  from 
the  apostle,  and  had  four  daughters  who  became 
inspired  teachers  (Acts  21 :8. 9). — And  proclaim- 
ed the  Messiah  unto  them.  The  verb  signi- 
fies literally  to  make  proclamation  as  a  public 
herald.  The  Samaritans  believed  in  the  advent 
of  a  promised  Messiah  (John  4 ;  25, 29) ;  Philip  pro- 
claimed that  he  had  already  come.  On  the  char- 
acter of  the  Samaritans,  see  notes  on  John,  ch.  4. 
They  were  descended  from  a  mongrel  popula- 
tion, made  by  an  intermixture  of  Jews  and 
heathen  at  the  time  when  Israel  was  carried  into 
captivity  by  the  Assyrian  king  (2  Kings  n  :  24-29). 
This  is  the  first  public  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
to  any  outside  the  Jewish  nation.  Christ  had 
confined  his  ministry,  while  alive,  to  Judea, 
Galilee,  and  Perea.  Though  he  went  into  the 
coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  it  was  not  to  preach. 
He  stayed  in  Sychar,  a  city  of  Samaria,  two  days, 
on  his  way  from  Jerusalem  to  Galilee  (John  4 :  40), 
and  the  remembrance  of  that  visit,  six  or  seven 
years  previous,  may  have  prepared  the  way  for 
the  reception  of  the  Gospel  noAV  ;  but  there  is 
no  statement  in  John  that  he  preached  the  Gos- 
pel publicly  at  that  time.  He  expressly  forbade 
his  apostles  from  preaching,  either  in  the  way  of 
the  Gentiles  or  the  cities  of  the  Samaritans,  dur- 
ing their  first  missionary  tour.  See  Matt.  10  : 5, 6, 
and  note  there,  for  explanation  of  that  prohibi- 
tion.—Hearing  them  and  seeing  the  mira- 
cles. Not  hearing  and  seeing  the  miraclex.  Two 
reasons  are  assigned  for  the  public  reception  of 
Philip ;  one,  the  message  which  he  brought, 
which  was  welcome  to  the  Samaritans  ;  the  other, 
the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  which  compelled 
attention,  and  also  gave  sanction  to  his  word. — 


Unclean  spirits.  On  the  nature  of  demoniacal 
possession,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  123.  —  There  was 
great  joy.  Not  only  had  the  way  been  pre- 
pared among  the  Samaritans  by  the  previous 
ministry  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  there  was  no  preju- 
dice against  the  catholicity  of  the  Gospel ;  the 
doctrine,  unbearable  to  the  Jew,  that  God  was 
no  respecter  of  persons,  was  a  welcome  doctrine 
to  the  despised  Samaritan  and  the  Gentile. 

9-11.  Rut  a  certain  man  named  Simon 
was  beforetime  in  that  city.  The  intima- 
tion is  that  it  had  been  for  some  time  his  resi- 
dence. He  is  a  prominent  character  in  ecclesi- 
astical history,  but  so  much  of  his  life  is  legend- 
ary that  only  its  barest  outlines  can  be  given 
with  any  certainty.  Some  doubt  even  has  been 
entertained  whether  the  Simon  of  tradition  and 
the  one  here  mentioned  are  the  same  ;  but  their 
resemblance  in  character  is  too  marked  to  leave 
much  room  for  reasonable  doubt.  The  Simon  of 
tradition  was  a  native  of  Cyprus ;  professed  to 
believe  the  oriental  philosophy  of  his  day ; 
claimed  to  be  himself  an  eon  or  emanation  from 
the  deity  ;  traveled  about  with  a  beautiful  pros- 
titute, whom  he  represented  as  another  divine 
emanation  ;  aided  Felix  in  seducing  Drusilla,  the 
queen  of  Emesa  (see  on  Acts  24 :  24) ;  subsequently 
came  to  Rome,  where  he  continued  to  practice 
his  magic  arts,  probably  until  his  death,  the  le- 
gendary account  of  which  is  intrinsically  improb- 
able. He  was  the  founder  of  an  heretical  sect, 
called  from  his  name  Simonians,  the  author  of 
some  extinct  heretical  books,  and  is  accused  of 
forging  and  circulating  other  books  in  the  name 
of  Christ  and  his  disciples. — Using  sorcery. 
From  the  Greek  word  here  employed  (uotyciJio, 
maguo)  comes  our  English  word  magi,  and  the 
appellation  magus,  by  which  this  Simon  is  com- 
monly, in  literature,  distinguished  from  others 
of  the  same  name  in  the  N.  T.  He  was  probably 
a  degenerate  descendant  of  the  magi  or  wise  men 
of  the  East ;  for  a  description  of  their  character 
and  ofllce,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  59.  These  traveling  im- 
postors swarmed  over  Greece  and  Rome,  pre- 
tending to  magical  powers  derived  from  the 
spirit  world ;  they  were  readers  of  the  stars, 
interpreters  of  dreams,  fortune-tellers,  medicine 
men — in  brief,  they  exercised  the  same  arts  as 
the  modern  fortune-teller,  and  by  much  the 
same  methods ;  but  they  were  as  much  more 
successful  in  those  days  than  these,  as  the  age 
was  more  ignorant  and  credulous.  See  Acts 
13  :  6-10 ;  19  :  18-20,— And  astonishing  the 


Ch.  VIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


97 


the  greatest,  saying,  This  man  is  the  great  power  of 
God. 

11  And  to  him  they  had  regard,  because  that  of  long 
time  he  had  bewitched  i  them  with  sorceries. 

12  Bit  when   they  believed''   Philip   preaching  the 
things  '  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  name 


of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and 
women. 

13  Then  Simon  himself  believed  also  :  and  when  he 
was  baptized,  he  continued  with  Philip,  and  wondered, 
beholding  the  miracles  and  signs  which  were  done. 


q  Gal.  3  ::....  r  verse  37  ;  ch.  2  :  41 s  ch.  1  :  3. 


people  of  Samaria.  Not  bewitching  them. 
The  verb  is  the  same  rendered  wondered  in  ver. 
13.  Our  English  version  implies  the  real  exer- 
cise of  a  supernatural  witchery  over  the  people, 
which  is  not  indicated  by  the  original. — Saying 
that  he  himself  was  some  great  one.  The 
oriental  philosophy  taught  that  the  Infinite  was 
manifested  to  and  dwelt  with  the  race  through 
eons  or  emanations.  See  notes  on  the  doctrine 
of  the  Logos,  John,  ch.  1,  Vol.  II.  Simon  claimed 
to  be  himself  one  of  these  eons.  I  am  Inclined 
to  think,  from  the  language  here  and  in  the  next 
verse,  that  among  the  Samaritans,  where  the 
Messiah  was  expected,  he  claimed  to  be  that 
Messiah ;  and  this  is  indicated  b}'  some  of  the 
patristic  literature  against  the  Simonians.  This 
claim  would  be  the  more  readily  acceded  to  from 
the  general  and  widespread  expectation  of  a  De- 
liverer, which  was  by  no  means  confined  to  the 
Jewish  nation.  See  Vol.  I,  p.  60,  §  3. — He  is  the 
power  of  God,  called  the  great.  This  is  the 
literal  rendering  of  the  best  manuscripts.  The 
meaning  is  that  he  is  that  power  of  God  which  is 
known  as  t?ie  great  one.  Observe  that  there  is  in 
his  history  that  which  is  common  to  that  of  all 
great  impostors ;  he  preferred  the  most  extrava- 
gant claims  concerning  himself,  and  the  people 
took  him  at  his  own  self-estimate.  His  very 
audacity  carried  weight. — To  whom  they  gave 
heed.  The  verb  is  the  same  so  rendered  above 
in  vers.  6  and  10.  The  contrast  with  ver.  6  is 
instructive  ;  to  Philip  they  gave  heed  because  of 
his  doctrine  and  his  miracles  of  beneficent  heal- 
ing ;  to  Simon  because  of  their  astonishment  at 
his  works  of  witchcraft,  jlfere  wonder-working  is 
never  a  sound  basis  for  a  religious  belief,  a  truth 
which  the  modem  spiritists  would  do  well  to 
bear  iumind. — Because  for  a  long  time  they 
were  astonished  (not  bewitched,  see  above)  at 
his  sorceries.  There  is  no  reason  whatever  to 
believe  that  these  sorceries  were  other  than  the 
frauds  which  are  to-day  practised  in  the  same 
country  by  Mohammedan  astrologers ;  none  to 
suppose  that  Simon  possessed  any  supernatural 
power,  or  any  actual  communion  with  the  un- 
seen world.  Whether  all  the  witchcraft  and 
pretended  miracles  of  the  0.  T.  are  to  be  ex- 
plained as  frauds  may  not  be  so  clear. 

12,  13.  Concerning  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Inaugurated  by  the  advent,  the  cruci- 
fixion, and  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ.  It 
means  here,  as  always  in  the  N.  T.,  the  state  of 


allegiance  to  God,  whether  in  the  individual 
heart,  the  community,  or  the  future  life. — 
And    the    name    of  Jesus    the    Messiah; 

that  is,  Philip  proclaimed  him  as  Jesus,  i.  e.,  the 
Saviour  (Matt,  i :  21 ),  and  as  Christ,  i.  e.,  the  priest 
or  Anointed  One.  See  note  on  Names  of  Jesus, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  57. — They  were  baptized.  In  the 
name  of  Jesus  (ver.  le),  and  as  a  sign  that  they 
accepted  him  as  their  Messiah.  Observe  that 
the  aflSrmative  preaching  of  the  Gospel  i.s  the 
best  antidote  to  error.  There  is  no  indication 
that  Philip  said  anything  directly  about  the 
superstition  of  the  people  and  the  magical  arts 
of  Simon. — Then  Simon  also  himself  be- 
lieved. Not  "/)ro/esse(Z  to  believe,"  as  Hackett, 
and,  substantially,  Alexander  and  others ;  the 
historical  statement  is  clear  that  he  did  believey 
and  the  facts  are  narrated  partly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  what  are  the  conditions  of  sal- 
vation, by  showing  what  supposed  conditions 
are  insufficient.  Of  these  belief  is  one.  See 
below,  Note  on  case  of  Simo7i  Magus.  And  the 
nature  of  the  belief  is  also  indicated  by  the 
course  of  the  narrative.  Neander's  interpreta- 
tion, "He  was  convinced  that  Philip  was  in 
league  with  some  powerful  spirit,"  is  a  pure  and 
groundless  surmise,  and  not  complimentary  to 
the  simplicity,  the  clearness,  and  the  directness 
of  Philip's  preaching.  Simon  believed  the  creed 
which  Philip  preached,  viz.,  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  was  at  hand,  and  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah,  whose  advent,  death,  and  resurrection 
was  its  inauguration.  Of  the  nature  of  this 
kingdom  he  doubtless  had  a  crude  and  false 
conception,  interpreting  it  by  his  own  previous 
conception  of  what  it  was  to  be  ;  and  the  result 
shows  that  he  attached  himself  to  it  for  his  own 
aggrandizement.  In  this  respect  his  case  resem- 
bles that  of  Judas  Iscariot  (see  voi.  i.,  p.  307),  and 
his  belief  that  of  the  vagabond  Jewish  exorcists 
mentioned  in  ch.  19  :  13. — And  being  baptized 
he  continued  with  Philip.  Attached  him- 
self personally  to  Philip,  apparently  in  a  subor- 
dinate position  as  his  assistant.  See  ch.  10  :  7, 
where  the  same  verb,  rendered  loaited  on  him 
continually,  is  used  to  describe  the  relations  of 
certain  military  attendants  of  Cornelius.  Ob- 
serve, then,  that  though  Simon  believed,  was 
publicly  baptized,  and  joined  the  discipleship, 
his  heart  was  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
he  still  had  no  true  part  with  God's  people 
(ver.  21).    The  doctrine  of  baptismal  regeneration, 


98 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


14  Now  when  the  apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem 
heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they 
sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John  : 

15  Who,  when  they  were  come  down,  prayed  for 
them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost : 


16  (For  as  yet '  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them  ; 
only  they  were"  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.) 

17  Then  laid"  they  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Ghost. 


t  ch.  19:2 u  ch.  2:38;  10:48;  19:5,  6;  1  Cor,  1  :  13. . . .  v  ch.  6  :  6 ;  Heb.  6  :  2. 


i,  c,  that  the  subject  of  baptism  is  regenerated 
by  grace  in  the  sacrament  itself,  and  irrespective 
of  his  own  faith,  needs  no  other  refutation  than 
the  history  of  Simon  Magus.  "  Through  baptism 
the  church  brought  forth  Simon  Magus  *  *  * 
Yet  because  love  was  wanting  he  was  born  in 
vain." — (Augustine.), — Wondered.  The  same 
word  rendered  bewitched  in  ver.  9. — Behold> 
ing  the  powers  and  signs  wrought.  It 
was  wonder,  not  conscience,  faith,  or  love, 
that  brought  Simon  to  join  the  disciples.  He 
coveted  their  power,  the  reality  of  which  he  did 
not  doubt ;  this  is  evident  from  his  subsequent 
course. 

14-16.  Now  the  apostles,  in  Jerusalem. 
Not  those  apostles  which  remained  in  Jerusalem, 
which  might  be  the  meaning  attached  to  our 
English  version.  Evidently  the  PhUip  here  is 
not  the  apostle  of  that  name,  for  he  remained 
at  Jerusalem. — Hearing  that  Samaria  had 
accepted  the  word  of  God.  Tischendorf 
reads,  Of  Christ.  It  was  not  the  mere  fact  that 
the  word  had  been  preached  in  Samaria,  but 
that  Samaria  had  accepted  it,  which  led  to  this 
apostolic  commission. — Peter  and  John.  Who 
are  throughout  the  N.  T.  history  fast  friends ; 
attached  to  each  other  by  the  very  dissimilarity 

of  their  characters  (Luke  6:  l-n  ;  John  13:23,24;  18:  15,16; 

21 :7;  Acts  3: 1 ;  4: 13).  The  goiug  two  by  two,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  direction  in  their  first  com- 
mission (Mark  6 :  ?),  sccms  to,  havB  bccn  practised 
customarily  in  the  missionary  work  of  the 
church  (ch.  13: 2!  15:39, 4o).  This  is  the  last  men- 
tion of  John  in  the  Acts ;  except  in  Revelation 
he  is  only  mentioned  again  in  the  N.  T.  in  Gal. 
2:9.  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the  apostle 
who  desired  to  call  down  fire  from  heaven  on  a 
Samaritan  village  because  it  rejected  Christ  (Luke 
9 :  54),  is  the  one  to  carry  to  Samaria  the  baptism 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  true  fire  from  heaven, 
not  to  consume  but  to  make  alive. — That  they 
might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost :  for  as 
yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them. 
A  careful  consideration  of  parallel  passages  in 
Scripture  would  have  saved  the  commentators 
some  difficulty  experienced  in  the  interpretation 
of  this  declaration.  How  could  the  Samaritans 
be  converted  and  baptized  without  the  regener- 
ating influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  The  answer 
is  that  this  phrase  is  never  used  in  the  N.  T.  of 
that  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  promised  to 
all  on  condition  of  repentance  and  baptism  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  (ch.  2 :  as),  and  which  is 


the  indispensable  condition  of  entering  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  (John  3 : 3, 5).  It  always  signifies 
the  fulfillment,  in  a  special  manner,  of  Christ's 
promise  to  the  twelve,  Ye  shall  receive  povxr 
after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you 
(ch.  1 : 8),  and  always  an  impartation  of  such  a 
special  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  is  accom- 
panied with  supernatural  gifts.  Here  the  clear 
implication  of  ver.  18  is  that  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  described  was  accompanied  by  phenomena 
that  were  visible  to  a  purely  worldly  and  selfish 
nature  like  that  of  Simon  ;  in  ch.  10  :  44^46,  the 
bestowal  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  accompanied 
by  speaking  with  tongues  ;  in  ch.  11  :  15,  Peter 
characterizes  it  as  a  peculiar  gift:  "The  Holy 
Ghost  fell  on  them  as  on  us  at  the  beghmiug,'' 
i.  e.,  in  the  same  manner  and  with  the  same  re- 
sults described  in  ch.  2  : 1-4 ;  in  ch.  19  :  2-6  the 
reception  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  accompanied  with 
the  same  supernatural  and  visible  tokens.  The 
declaration,  then,  is  not  that  the  Samaritans  had 
not  been  spiritually  quickened  by  the  presence 
and  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  that  no 
miraculous  power  had  been  imparted  to  them, 
manifested  in  visible  signs.  It  was  for  this  the 
apostles  prayed  ;  this  was  granted  in  answer  to 
their  prayer ;  and  in  consequence  of  witnessing 
the  phenomena  which  ensued,  whether  of  speak- 
ing in  tongues,  or  healing,  or  what  we  know  not, 
Simon  desired  to  purchase  the  power  of  bestow- 
ing the  same  miraculous  powers,  as  a  means  of 
augmenting  his  own  influence  and  reputation 
as  a  wonder-worker. — In  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  There  is  no  case  in  the  N.  T.  in 
which  the  apostles  are  reported  to  have  baptized 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  a  conclusive  indication  that  they  did  not 
understand  that  Christ,  in  Matt.  28  :  19,  pre- 
scribed that  as  a  necessary  formula.  See  note 
there.  The  customary  form  was  that  here  in- 
dicated. 

17.  Then  laid  they  their  hands  on  them 
and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  On 
the  signification  of  the  laying  on  of  hands,  see  ch. 
G  :  G.  The  passage  here  and  in  ch.  19  : 5,  G,  are  the 
chief  authorities  for  the  rite  of  confirmation, 
whereby  in  the  Episcopal  and  Roman  Catholic 
churches  the  bishop  (answering  to  the  apostle 
here)  lays  his  hands  upon  such  as  have  been  bap- 
tized, and  do  accept  the  Christian  faith,  confirm- 
ing them  in  that  faith,  and  receiving  them  into 
full  membership  with  the  church.  Among  the 
Romanists  this  rite  is  regarded  as  a  solemn  sacra- 


Ch.  VIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


99 


i8  And  when  Simon  saw  that  through  laying  on  of 
the  apostles'' hands  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  he  of- 
fered them  "  money, 


19  Saying,  Give  me  also  this  power,  that  on  whom- 
soever I  lay  hands,  he  may  receive  the  Holy  Ghost. 

20  But  Peter  said  unto  him,  Thy  money  perish  with 


w  1  Tim.  6  :  5. 


ment,  "  bringing  down  the  Holy  Ghost  in  a  more 
particular  manner  to  dwell  in  them,  and  to  for- 
tify and  confirm  us  in  our  faith,  and  enable  us 
more  efEectually  to  resist  all  the  enemies  of  our 
souls."  The  other  principal  Scripture  references 
cited  in  support  of  this  practice  are  Matt.  3  :  16 ; 
19  :  15 ;  Heb.  6:2;  Ephes.  1 :  13, 14 ;  4  :  30 ;  3  Cor. 
1  :  31 ;  3  Tim.  3  :  19.  The  apostles'  course  here  is 
referred  to  in  the  Episcopal  Prayer  Book  as  the 
example,  if  not  the  authority,  for  the  church  in 
maintaining  the  rite.  "We  make  our  humble 
supplications,"  says  the  bishop  in  the  service, 
"unto  thee,  for  these  thy  servants,  on  whom, 
after  the  example  of  thy  holy  apostles,  we  have  now 
laid  our  hands."  I  have  stated  elsewhere  (intro., 
p.  is)  my  reasons  for  not  regarding  the  example 
but  only  the  teaching  of  the  apostles  4is  author- 
itative. That  this  act  of  laying  on  of  hands  was 
not  intended  by  them  as  the  initiation  of  a  per- 
manent ecclesiastical  rite,  and  still  less  as  a  sacra- 
ment, to  be  ranked  with  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  seems  to  me  clear,  for  the  following  rea- 
sons :  (1. )  There  is  no  Scriptural  basis  for  the 
idea  that  the  apostles  had  authority  to  establish 
a  sacrament  for  the  universal  church  and  for  all 
time,  and  no  indication  that  Christ  established 
the  rite  of  confirmation  or  directed  its  establish- 
ment. Matt.  19  :  15  furnishes  no  ground  for 
such  belief.  (3.)  There  is  nothing  in  the  account 
here,  or  in  ch.  19,  to  indicate  the  establishment 
of  a  permanent  rite,  as  there  is  in  Christ's  direc- 
tions to  his  twelve  respecting  the  Lord's  Supper 
and  the  rite  of  baptism  (Luke  22':  i9 ;  Matt.  28 :  19).  (3.) 
There  is  no  evidence  that  it  was  habitually  main- 
tained in  the  apostolic  churches,  as  certainly  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper  were.  On  the  con- 
trary, both  here  and  in  ch.  19,  the  laying  on  of 
hands  appears  to  have  been  done  for  the  especial 
purpose  of  affording  the  infant  discipleship  some 
ocular  evidence  of  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  to  have  been  accompanied 
with  demonstrations  which  confessedly  never  at- 
tend the  rite  of  confirmation  now.  I  agree,  there- 
fore, with  Alford  in  thinking  that  the  apostolic 
preaching  here  and  in  ch.  19,  affords  no  axdhor- 
ity  for  the  modern  rite  of  confirmation,  and  no 
basis  for  the  doctrine  that  it  was  instituted  by 
the  apostles.  That  rite  must  rest  on  the  fitness 
of  such  a  solemn  confirmation,  especially  in  the 
case  of  one  baptized  in  infancy,  on  ecclesiastical 
usage,  and  on  a  certain  remote  analogy  to  the 
practice  of  the  apostles  in  one  or  two  exceptional 
cases.  The  question  then  remains,  why  did  the 
apostles  go  down  to  Samaria  and  lay  their  hands 


on  the  Samaritan  converts  ?  The  circumstances 
afford  the  answer  to  this  question.  They  thus 
set  the  seal  of  their  disapprobation  on  that  ex- 
cessive and  unrelenting  hatred  which  separated 
the  Jew  from  the  Samaritan  (john  4:9);  they  gave 
the  sanction  of  theu-  names  and  presence  to  the 
doctrine  that  the  Gospel  was  offered  unto  every 
one  that  believed,  and  to  the  practice  of  preach- 
ing it  to  the  outcasts  of  Judaism ;  and  they 
strengthened  the  faith  of  the  Samaritans,  a  cred- 
ulous people,  and  therefore  easy  to  be  led  astray, 
God  affording  them,  by  the  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit,  and  by  accompanying  supernatural  signs, 
the  same  evidence  which  he  had  already  afforded 
to  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

18, 19.  The  magicians  were  accustomed  to  sell 
the  knowledge  of  then-  arts ;  Simon  ranked  the 
apostolic  power  with  his  own  magical  perform- 
ances. He  rightly  estimated  the  Holy  Spirit  as  a 
gift  conferred  ;  he  showed  a  total  lack  of  spirit- 
ual apprehension  in  supposing  that  the  power  to 
bestow  it  could  be  purchased.  Whether  he 
openly  proposed  to  buy,  or  whether  his  act  was 
a  secret  one,  in  the  nature  of  an  attempted  brib- 
ery, the  account  does  not  indicate;  the  latter 
supposition  is  the  more  inherently  probable. 
Whether  the  apostles  had  laid  their  hands  on  him 
or  not  does  not  appear ;  Alford  thinks  the  course 
of  the  narrative  indicates  that  they  had  not. 
The  language  clearly  implies  that  sensible  effects, 
such  as  the  speaking  of  tongues,  followed  this 
laying  on  of  hands,  for  Simon  saw  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  given.  His  desire  was  to  be  the  equal 
in  rank  and  power  of  the  apostles ;  his  act  shows  . 
that  his  real  motive  in  joining  the  Christian  com- 
munity was  self  aggrandizement.  From  his  act 
here  the  name  of  simony  has  been  given  to  the 
offence  of  buying  or  selling  ecclesiastical  olfices 
in  the  church, — one  which  can  only  exist  in  an 
established  church,  where  the  spiritual  office 
is  a  means  of  temporal  profit,  and  is  at  the  dis- 
posal of  a  lay  patron  or  an  ecclesiastical  superior. 

20-22.  Thy  money  go  with  thee  to 
destruction.  This  is  not  an  anathema,  a  con- 
signment of  Simon  to  destruction,  for  in  the  next 
sentence  Peter  admonishes  him  to  pray  for  for- 
giveness. The  apostle  declares  that  Simon  is  for 
destruction,  If  he  does  not  escape  by  repentance, 
and  repels  the  proffered  money  by  an  expression 
which  is  weakened  by  attempting  to  give  to  the 
language  a  literal  construction.  The  underlying 
truth  is  that  gold  is  perishable,  as  all  things 
earthly  (comp.  1  Pet.  1 : 7,  is ;  1  Cor.  6 :  13),  and  that  he 
who  expects  to  buy  the  gift  of  God,  proyes  his 


100 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  VIII. 


thee,  because"  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift^  of  God 
may  be  purchased  with  money. 

21  Thou  hast  neither  part^  nor  lot  in  this  matter: 
for°  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God. 

22  Repent  therefore  of  this  thy  wickedness ;  and 
pray  God,  if"  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may 
be  forgiven  thee : 


23  For  I  perceive  that  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness,''  and  in  the  bond""  of  iniquity. 

24  Then  answered  Simon,  and  said.  Pray "  ye  to  the 
Lord  for  me,  that  none  of  these  things  which  ye  have 
spoken  come  upon  me. 

25  And  they,  when  they  had  testified  and  preached 


I  8  Kings  5 

:  15, 

Ifi- 

Matt. 

10:8. 

. . .y  ch 

.  in 

45; 

11  :  17 

z  Jo 

oh.  22 

:95 

aPs 

18  :  36, 

37; 

Ezek. 14 

:3. 

..b  Dan.  4:  27; 

2  Tim 

2  .  25... 

c  Jer.  4 

18 

H 

b.  12 

:  15... 

.d  Ps. 

llB 

16 

Prov. 

6 

'Ja 

Isa. 

28: 

22 

...e 

Exod.  £ 

:S 

,   Numb. 

21 

7;    1  Kings  13 

:6j  J 

ub  42  :  8 

James  6  : 

16. 

corrupt,  earthly,  and  therefore  perishable  na- 
ture. It  is  "as  if  he  should  have  said,  Thou  art 
worthy  to  perish  with  thy  money,  when  thou 
dost  so  blaspheme  the  Spirit  of  God." — {Calvin.) 
— Because  thou  hast  thought.  Observe, 
not  because  he  had  offered  money,  but  because 
he  had  thouglit  money  could  purchase  the  divine 
gift.  It  is  the  thought,  not  the  deed,  which  Peter 
characterizes  as  damnable.  The  grace  of  God  is 
a  free  gift ;  the  thought  that  it  can  be  purchased 
is  insulting  to  God. — Thou  hast  neither  part 
nor  lot.  If  there  is  any  difference  in  these 
words,  the  first  indicates  a  portion  already 
assigned ;  the  second,  one  yet  to  be  assigned. 
The  first  would  then  indicate  that  Simon  had  no 
present  portion  in  Christian  gifts ;  the  second,  no 
share  in  the  future  inheritance  of  the  saints.  And 
this  appears  to  me  to  be  the  meaning.  By  most 
commentators,  however,  the  terms  are  taken  as 
synonymous,  and  the  double  expression  as  simply 
emphatic. — In  this  word,  {loyoc.)  Notthisma^ 
ter  or  business  ;  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  original 
is  ever  used  with  that  signification  in  the  N.  T.  ; 
but  in  this  word  of  the  Gosjxl,  i.  e.,  the  glad  tidings 
of  present  salvation,  including  pardon  and  divine 
life  here,  and  the  promise  of  glory  hereafter. — 
For  thy  heart  is  not  right.  "  Not  in  earnest 
in  its  seeking  after  the  Gospel,  but  seeks  it  with 
unworthy  ends  in  view." — (Alford.)  The  word 
here  rendered  i-ight  is  rendered  straight  in  Luke 
3:5;  Simon's  was  a  crooked  heart  that  must  be 
made  straight  before  it  could  receive  the  indwell- 
ing of  the  Lord.— Repent,  therefore,  of  this 
thy  Avickedness.  Not  in  offering  the  money, 
but  in  so  thinking  of  the  divine  grace  as  to  desire 
to  make  it  a  means  of  self-aggrandizement. — 
And  pray  God.  The  better  reading  is,  the  Lord, 
i.  e.,  Jesus  Christ. — If,  perhaps,  the  thought 
of  thy  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee.  Observe 
again,  it  is  the  thought  that  needs  forgiveness, 
and  the  thought,  not  of  the  mind,  but  of  the 
heart ;  the  thought  is  wholly  wrong,  because 
the  affections  are  earthly  and  sensual.  Observe, 
too,  the  doubt  of  forgiveness  implied  by  Jf  per- 
haps. The  apostle  does  not  attempt  to  deter- 
mine what  sins  may  and  what  may  not  be  forgiven 

(Matt.  12  :  31  J  1  John  5  :  1g),  Still  ICSS  tO  rcCCivC  the  COD- 

fession  and  pronounce  the  absolution. 

23,    24.    Unto    the    gall    of    bitterness 
(equivalent  to  bitter  gall)  and   the  bond  of 


iniquity  I  see  thou  art.     The  order  of  the 

words  gives  emphasis  to  those  which  character- 
ize Simon's  condition.  The  exact  meaning  is  not 
quite  clear.  Gall  was  regarded  by  the  ancients 
as  the  seat  of  the  venom  of  poisonous  reptiles ; 
and  is  in  the  N.  T.  a  symbol  of  sin,  as  the  ser- 
pent is  of  Satan  (see  job  20  :  14 ;  Rom.  3  :  13).   The  prep- 

osition  in  («ic)  is  literally  unto.  It  indicates  aim 
or  end  toward  which  any  thing  tends.  The  mean- 
ing then  may  be,  I  see  that  thou  hast  fallen  into 
the  poison  and  the  bond  of  sin,  or,  I  see  that  thou 
art  tending  to  it,  or,  it  may  be  regarded  as  a 
prophecy,  I  see  that  thou  art  about  to  become 
gall  of  bitterness,  i.  e.,  a  deadly  poison  to  others, 
and  a  bond  of  iniquity,  an  organizer  of  sin  and 
error.  This  last  interpretation  accords  with  the 
actual  history  of  Simon  subsequent  to  events 
here  narrated.  See  above  on  ver.  9. — Pray  ye 
the  Lord.  There  is  no  true  penitence  in  this 
prayer  ;  no  sense  of  sin  ;  no  seeking  for  forgive- 
ness. It  is  the  language  of  fear,  not  of  repent- 
ance, and  resembles  that  of  Saul  to  Sr.muel  Ci  Sam. 
16 :  3o),  who  desired  not  divine  forgiveness,  but 
escape  from  public  censure  and  reprobation 
before  the  people. 

The  case  of  Simon  Magus.  The  N.  T.  con- 
tains many  cases  illustrative  of  true  conversion ; 
this  narrative  illustrates  a  spurious  conversion. 
Simon  really  believes,  intellectually,  the  Gospel 
preached  by  Philip  ;  he  accepts  the  creed  of  the 
church  ;  he  publicly  renounces  his  errors ;  he  is 
baptized  and  received  into  Christian  fellowship ; 
he  engages  in  church  work  (ver.  13,  note).  But  he  is 
drawn  to  this  by  wonder,  not  by  an  awakened 
conscience ;  he  does  not  repent  of  nor  confess 
his  sin ;  nor  does  he  consecrate  himself  to  the 
service  of  God  (ch.  22 :  10).  His  real  purpose  is  self- 
aggrandizement  ;  the  thought  of  his  heart,  in 
his  adhesion  to  the  new  cause,  is  manifested  by 
his  application  to  Peter ;  the  language  of  the 
apostle  shows  that  he  never  had  any  leal  parti- 
cipation in  the  Gospel ;  and  his  language,  even 
after  this  rebuke,  indicates  no  spiritual  sense  of 
his  sin,  no  sorrow  for  it,  no  conscious  need  of 
the  Saviour.  Comparing  his  case  with  those  of 
the  penitent  thief  (Luke  23: 41)  and  Zaccheus  (Luke 
19 : 8),  there  is  a  notable  absence  of  confession  or 
attempted  reparation  for  the  wrong  already  done ; 
comparing  it  with  that  of  Paul  (ch.  22 :  in),  there  is 
a  notable  absence  of  any  consecration  of  heart 


Ch.  VIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


101 


the  word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and 
preached  tlie  gospel  in  many  villages  of  the  Samaritans. 

26  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  say- 
ing. Arise,  and  go  toward  the  south,  unto  the  way 
that  goeth  down  trom  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza/  which  is 
desert. 

27  And  he  arose  and  went:  and,  behold,  a  man  of 


Ethiopia,^  an*  eunuch  of  great  authority  under  Can- 
dace  queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  who  had  the  charge  of 
all  her  treasure,  and  had  come'  to  Jerusalem  for  to 
worship, 

28  Was  returning ;  and,  sitting  in  his  chariot,  read 
Esaias  the  prophet. 


f  Josh.  IS:  47 g  Zeph.  3:10 h  Isa.  66  :  3-S. . . .  1  2Chron.  6:33,  I 


and  life  to  Christ.  Simon  accepts  Christianity 
to  use  it  for  his  own  profit ;  Paul  offers  himself 
to  Christ  to  be  used.  The  lessons  of  the  incident 
are  (1)  against  the  substitution  of  the  externals 
of  religion — the  creed,  the  ceremonial,  the  active 
service,  for  the  essence  of  religion,  a  heart 
straight  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  (2)  against  all 
simony,  all  purchase  or  procurement  of  place  or 
position  in  the  church  for  worldly  advantage ; 
(3)  all  worldliness  and  self-seeking. 

Ch.  8  :  -25-40.  CONVERSION  AND  BAPTISM  OF  THE 
ETHIOPIAN.    The  seeker  sought.— The  results  op 

OBETTNG    the    DFVINE    IMPULSE  :    A    SOUL  BROUGHT   TO 

THE  LionT.— The  progress  op  a  soul  prom  dark- 
ness TO  ligut  and  jot,  illustrated:  from  hea- 
thenism to  worship  ;  from  worship  to  study  op 

THE  WORD  ;  from  STUDY  TO  PERSONAL  INQUIRY ; 
FROM  INQUIRY  TO  ACCEPTANCE.— ThE  CONDITION  OF 
OBTAINING     LIGHT  :      FIDELITY     TN     SEEKING.  —  Matt. 

7  :  8  illustrated. 

This  narrative  affords  a  further  illustration  of 
the  progress  of  the  Gospel  in  its  extension  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  Judaism.  From  preaching 
to  the  Samaritans,  whose  religion  was  Jewish, 
but  corrupted,  Philip  is  directed  to  preach  it  to' 
a  heathen,  but  one  who  has  already,  at  least  par- 
tially, accepted  the  Jewish  faith.  The  eunuch, 
converted,  carries  the  Gospel  with  him  into  his 
own  country  ;  Philip  continues  his  ministry 
throughout  the  border  cities  of  the  Holy  Land, 
which  are  largely  Gentile. 

35.  They,  testifying  and  preaching  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem. 
Not,  When  they  had  testified,  as  in  our  English 
version.  Their  journey  home  was  a  missionary 
tour. — And  preached  the  Gospel  in  many 
villages  of  the  Samaritans.  In  this  tour 
John  called  down  fire  from  heaven  on  these  vil- 
lages ;  but  in  a  sense  and  for  a  purpose  how  dif- 
ferent from  that  with  which  he  had  once  pro- 
posed to  call  down  fire  to  destroy  a  Samaritan 

village  !      (Luke  9  :  54.) 

26.  And  an  angel  of  the  Lord.    Not  the 

angel,  which  signifies  generally,  if  not  always, 
the  same  person,  viz.,  Jesus  Christ  himself. 
Observe,  the  first  communication  to  Philip  is  by 
an  angel,  and  presumptively  by  one  appearing  in 
vision  or  dream  ;  the  second  communication  is 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  himself  (ver.  28),  and  pre- 
sumptively without  appearance  or  audible  voice. 
Obedience  to  the  first  direction  leads  to  a  higher 


and  more  direct  communication.  The  case  illus- 
trates the  ministration  of  angels,  taught  by  Heb. 
1:7;  Psalm  10-t :  4.  For  other  illustrations  in  the 
Book  of  Acts  see  chaps.  5  :  19 ;  10  :  3  ;  13  :  7; 
27  :  23.— To  the  way  that  goeth  doAvn 
from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza.  Alford  gives, 
in  a  condensed  form,  the  history  of  this  city. 
"  The  southernmost  city  of  Canaan  (cen.  lo :  19) ;  in 
the  part  of  Judah  (josh,  is ;  47),  but  soon  taken 
from  that  tribe  by  the  Philistines,  and  always 
spoken  of  as  a  Philistian  city  (1  sam.  e :  17 ;  2  Kings 

18:8;  Amos  1:6-8;  Zeph.  2:4;  Zech.  9  :  s).       In  Jcr.    47  :  1 

we  have  'before  Pharaoh  (Necho  ?)  smote  Gaza' 
— implying  that  at  one  time  it  was  under  Egypt. 
Alexander  the  Great  took  it  after  a  siege  of  five 
months,  but  did  not  destroy  it,  for  we  find  it  a 
strong  place  in  the  subsequent  Syrian  wars.  It 
was  destroyed  by  the  Jewish  king  Alexander 
Jannaeus  (96  b.  c),  after  a  siege  of  a  year,  but 
rebuilt  again  by  the  Roman  general  Gabinius — 
afterward  given  by  Augustus  to  Herod,  and 
finally,  after  his  death,  attached  to  the  province 
of  Syria.  Mela,  in  the  time  of  Claudius,  calls  it 
'a  vast  city  and  strongly  fortified,'  with  which 
agree  Eusebius  and  Jerome.  At  present  it  is  a 
large  town  by  the  same  name,  with  from  15,000 
to  lt!,000  inhabitants.  The  above  chronological 
notices  show  that  it  can  not  have  been  desert  at 
this  time." — Which  is  desert.  It  is  the  way, 
not  the  city,  which  is  thus  described,  and  the 
description  is  added  by  the  angel  to  distinguish 
which  road  Philip  should  take.  There  are  sev- 
eral ;  the  most  direct  is  now  the  desert  road, 
without  towns  or  villages.  This  desert  way 
gave  opportunity  for  the  eunuch  to  read  the 
Scripture,  and  to  Philip  to  baptize  him  without 
attracting  observation.  Such  a  retired  place  is 
always  the  most  appropriate  for  private  personal 
religious  conversation.  So  Christ  talked  with 
Nieodemus  alone  at  night,  and  with  the  woman 
of  Samaria  alone  at  the  well. 

2T,  28.  A  man  of  Ethiopia.  In  its  largest 
sense  the  term  Ethiopia  was  applied  to  all  the 
African  bands  south  of  Egypt ;  more  definitely, 
it  included  the  modem  Nubia,  Senaar,  Kordofan, 
and  part  of  Abyssinia.  Its  inhabitants  were 
black  in  color  and  large  in  stature.  Their  land 
appears  to  have  been  one  of  wealth,  and  to  have 
maintained  some  commercial  relations  with  Pal- 
estine. The  Hebrew  equivalent  for  Ethiopia  is 
Cush,  and  by  this  name  it  is  designated  in  Gen- 


102 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  VIII. 


esis.  Some  have  supposed  that  this  Ethiopian 
was  a  Jew  who  lived  in  Ethiopia;  more  probably 
he  was  a  heathen  converted  to  Judaism.  That 
he  was  Jewish  in  his  religious  faith  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  he  came  to  Jerusalem  to  wor- 
ship.— All  eunuch.  The  Greek  signifies  liter- 
ally a  heel-keeper,  and  the  term  designates  those 
persons  v/ho  had  charge  of  the  bed-chambers  in 
palaces  and  larger  houses.  But  as  the  jealous 
and  dissolute  temperament  of  the  East  required 
this  charge  to  be  in  the  hands  of  persons  who 
had  been  deprived  of  their  virility,  the  word 
eunuch,  in  common  usage,  denoted  generally 
persons  of  that  condition.  It  was  not,  however, 
unusual  for  eunuchs  to  rise  to  high  considera- 
tion and  influence  about  the  court,  and  to  be- 
come confidential  advisers  of  their  royal  masters 
or  mistresses;  hence  the  woi'd  appears  to  have 
been  occasionally  employed  to  denote  persons  in 
such  a  position,  without  indicating  anything  of 
their  proper  manhood.  Thus  Potii)har  is  desig- 
nated "  a  eunuch  (translated  officer  in  our  version) 
of  Pharaoh's  captain  of  the  guard"  (g™.  37 : se). 
But  the  fact  that  this  man  was  minister  to  a 
female  sovereign  makes  it  probable  that  he  was 
a  eunuch  in  the  narrower  sense  of  the  term. 
Such  persons  were  by  Deut.  23  : 1  forbidden  to 
enter  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  the  law  of 
Moses  rigidly  forbiddmg  all  self- mutilation ;  but 


the  prophets  recognized  the  truth  that  grace 
and  mercy  were  not  excluded  from  the  eunuch 

(Isaiah  66  :  3-5  ;  Jcr.  38  :  7-13  ;  39  :  16-18)  ;    and    OUC   ObjCCt 

of  this  incident  was,  apparently,  to  teach  that 
none  of  those  external  considerations,  whether 
of  race  or  of  physical  condition,  which  excluded 
from  the  congregation  of  the  Lord  under  the 
law,  were  to  exclude  under  the  Gospel.  —  A 
chief  officer  of  Candace,  queen  of  the 
Ethiopians.  Candace  was  the  name  of  a  dy- 
nasty, like  Pharaoh  in  Egypt  or  Caesar  among 
the  Romans.  From  secular  history  (Strabo  and 
Dio)  it  is  known  that  there  was  a  queen  bearing 
this  title,  who  fought  against  the  Romans  in  the 
twenty-second  or  twenty-third  year  of  Augustus. 
Pliny  refers  to  another  queen  with  the  same 
title,  during  the  reign  of  Vespasian. — Of  all 
her  treasure.  Treasure-houses  were  common 
in  the  East,  where  not  only  money  but  also  im- 
portant documents  were  kept  (Ezra  6  :  l?  ;  Estlur  4  :  7). 

Of  these  treasure-houses  this  eunuch  was  the 
custodian. — For  to  worship.  He  must  then 
have  been  a  believer  in  the  God  of  Israel,  and 
presumptively  a  proselyte,  who  had  publicly  ac- 
cepted the  Hebrew  religion.  His  journey,  his 
study  of  Scripture,  and  his  readiness  to  receive 
the  Gospel,  all  indicate  a  man  of  genuine  reli- 
gious spirit  and  purpose. — Read  Isaiah  the 
prophet.    Probably  aloud  (ver.  so).    It  is  still  the 


Ch.  VIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


103 


29  Then '  the  Spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near,  and 
join  thyself  to  this  chariot. 

30  And  Philip  ran  thither  to  /n'm,  an;i  heard  him 
read  the  prophet  Esaias,  and  said,  Understandest'' 
thou  what  thou  readest  ? 

31  And  he    said.  How'   can    I,  except  some  man 


should  guide"  me?    And  he  desired  Philip  that  he 
would  come  up  and  sit  with  him. 

32  The  place  of  the  scripture  which  he  read  wa8 
this,"  He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter  ;  and  like 
a  lamb  dumb  before  his  shearer,  so  opened  he  not  his 
mouth  : 


j  Isa.  65  :  24 ;  Hosea  6:3 k  Matt.  13  :  23,  51 ;  Ephes.  5:17 1  Rom.  10  :  14  . 


Ps.  25  :  9  . . . .  n  Isa.  53  :  7, 


custom  of  the  Orientals  to  read  audibly,  though 
reading  to  themselves.  "Painfully  feeling  his 
departure  from  the  Temple  of  Jehovah,  on  the 
holy  hill,  and  from  his  solemn  worship,  he  clings 


^feT 


CANDACE,    QUEEN  OF   ETHIOPIA. 

(From  the  Egyptiaa  monuments.) 

to  another  sanctuary,  which  he  carries  with  him, 
in  order  that  at  home,  in  his  distant  land  and 
solitude,  he  might  have  a  compensation  for  the 
richer  blessings  of  the  house  of  God — namely,  to 
the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets." — 
{Baumgarten.)  Observe,  too,  that  he  reads  not 
in  the  law  or  the  history,  but  in  the  prophets, 
and  of  the  prophets,  in  Isaiah,  the  evangelist  of 
the  O.  T,,  and  in  Isaiah,  the  chapter  which  con- 
tains the  clearest  revelation  of  the  incarnation. 

29-31.  Then  said  the  Spirit.  The  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  It  was  a  distinct  divine  impulse, 
but  how  coming  we  have  no  means  of  judging. 
I  see  no  reason  for  believing  that  such  impulses 
as  are  described  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  Bible 
(comp.  ch.  13:2;  16 : 6, 7)  wcrc  in  any  wise  different 
from  those  calls  to  duty,  common  in  Christian 
experience,  which  consist  in  special  inward  im- 
pulses, springing  tip  within  us,  without  any  ap- 
parent cause. — And  Philip  ran.  Observe  the 
alacrity  of  his  obedience  to  the  divine  monitor. — 
And  said,  Understandest  thou  what  thou 
readest?  "A  strange  address  to  an  unknown 
and  great  man.  In  holy  conversation  we  should 
come  at  once  to  the  truth  itself.    PhiUp  did  not 


begin,  as  is  common,  with  the  weather,  the  news, 
etc." — {Bengel.)  But  in  this  case  the  way  was 
opened  to  him  by  the  eunuch's  evident  desire  to 
learn.  Christ  began  conversation  with  the  Sa- 
maritan woman  with  a  very  simple  request  (jobn 
4:7).  A  comparison  of  Christ's  method  of  reli- 
gious conversation  there,  and  Philip's  here,  is 
instructive. — How  can  I,  except  some  man 
should  guide  me?  Observe  the  evidence  of 
the  eunuch's  earnestness  :  he  comes  from  Ethio- 
pia to  Jerusalem  to  worship,  a  long  journey  ;  his 
court  duties  do  not  detain  him ;  returning,  he 
studies  the  AVord  of  God  on  his  journey  ;  though 
he  does  not  understand,  he  reads  and  ponders ; 
when  explanation  is  offered  he  is  quick  to  wel- 
come it.  Calvin's  practical  comment  is  good, 
that  in  reading  the  Scripture  we  must  accept 
readily  whatever  is  plain,  and  whatever  things 
are  hid  from  us,  we  must  pass  them  over  and 
wait  for  light.  To  which  I  add,  God  wiU  send 
light  to  the  diligent  and  desirous  student. 

33,  33.  The  quotation  is  from  Isaiah  53  :  7, 
8,  and  is  from  the  Septuagint  or  Greek  version. 
Probably  it  was  from  this  version  the  eunuch 
was  reading.  The  original  prophecy  was  uttered 
seven  centuries  before  the  event,  and  was  in  di- 
rect opposition  to  the  popular  belief  respecting 
the  Messiah.  It  is  so  unmistakable  that  Boling- 
broke  asserted  that  Christ  brought  about  his 
own  crucifixion,  in  order  to  enable  his  disciples 
to  appeal  to  the  prophecy  which  he  had  thus 
fulfilled. — He  Avas  led  as  a  sheep  to  the 
slaughter.  The  essential  truth  taught  here  by 
the  figures  of  the  sheep  and  lamb  is  the  quiet 
non-resistance  with  which  Christ  submitted  to 
all  the  indignity  put  upon  him.  The  prophecy 
is  fulfilled  by  his  refusal  to  resist  or  allow  resist- 
ance of  the  officers  who  came  to  arrest  him 
(Matt.  M :  63, 53),  by  his  paticucc  under  the  indig- 
nity inflicted  on  him  by  the  servants  of  the 
high-priest  (Matt.  26 :  67,  68)  a,nd  the  soldiers  of 
Pilate  (:\i,itt.  27  :  27-31),  and  by  his  silence  before 
Pilate  (Mitt.  27  :  u'-i4)  and  before  Herod  (Luke 
23  :  g).  But  the  context  in  Isaiah  clearly  indi- 
cates that  there  is  also  implied  the  trath  that 
the  Messiah  should  fulfill  by  his  own  death  the 
type  afforded  by  the  slayingof  sheep  as  sacrifices, 
under  the  O.  T.  dispensation.  The  chapter  from 
which  it  is  taken  coHtains  no  less  than  eleven 
distinct  references  to  the  vicarious  character  of 
Christ' s  sufferings. — In  his  humiliation  his 
judgment  was  taken  away.    This  follows 


104 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


33  In  his  humiliation  his  judgment  was  taken  away: 
and  who  shall  declare  his  generation  ?  for  his  lite  is 
taken  Irom  the  earth. 

34  And  the  eunuch  answered  Philip,  and  said,  I  pray 
thee,  of  whom  speaketh  the  prophet  this  ?  of  himself, 
or  of  some  other  man  ? 


35  Then  Philip  opened  his  mouth,  and  began"  at  the 
same  scripture,  and  p  preached  unto  him  Jesus. 

36  And  as  they  went  on  tkeir  way,  they  came  unto 
a  certain  water:  and  the  eunuch  said,  See,  here  is 
water ;  what  doth  1  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ? 


Luke  24  :  27 p  ch.  18  :  i 


.  q  ch.  10  :  47. 


the  Greek  version^  which  differs  slightly  from 
the  Hebrew.  Of  the  original  passage,  which  is 
confessedly  difficult,  various  interpretations  are 
offered:  thus,  Through  oppression  and  judg- 
ment he  was  taken  away,  i.  e.,  by  violence  which 
cloaked  itself  under  the  formalities  of  a  legal 
process  {Lowth,  Alford,  R.  Payne  Smith) ;  Through 
oppression  without  judgment  (Pilate  not  adjudg- 
ing him  guilty,  but  simply  delivering  him  to  the 
Jews,  Luke  23  :  2i,  35)  was  he  taken  away  {Hen- 
derson) ;  From  oppression  and  from  judgment  he 
was  taken  away,  i.  e.,  by  death  (so  Luther'' s  ver- 
sion and  tlie  Vulgate).  None  of  these  seem  to  me 
:to  satisfy  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  version  here, 
or  the  spirit  of  the  passage  in  Isaiah,  which 
surely  embodies  a  deeper  declaration  than  mere- 
ly the  violent  death  of  the  Messiah.  I  under- 
stand, then,  the  meaning  of  the  passage  to  be 
this  :  He  who  knew  no  sin  was  made  sin  for  us 
(2  Cor.  5 :  2i),  and  in  him,  thus  made  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  God  condemned  sin  (Rom.  8:3); 
laying  on  him  the  transgressions  of  us  all  (isaiah 
63 : 4, 5).  He,  by  his  voluntary  humiliation,  as  de- 
scribed in  Phil.  3  :  7,  8,  took  away  this  judgment 
against  himself,  as  the  representative  of  man, 
whose  nature  he  bore  (John  1 :  29),  so  that  to  those 
that  are  in  Christ  Jesus  there  is  henceforth  no 
condemnation  (Rom.  8  : 1).  We  may,  then,  para- 
phrase the  declaration  thus  :  In  his  humiliation 
the  condemnation  pronounced  against  him  as  the 
sinner''s  substitute  is  taken  away.  Observe  that  it 
is  the  condemnation  of  him,  as  the  sinner's  sub- 
stitute, that  is  taken  away,  and  hence  it  is  only 
•.those  that  are  in  him  from  whom  condemnation 
.  is  lifted  by  his  atonement.  Observe,  too,  that  it 
is  in  his  humiliation,  not  by  his  example  and 
teaching,  that  he  takes  sin  and  condemnation 
,  away  from  his  followers. — Who  shall  declare 
his  generation  ?  Meyer,  De  Wette,  Robinson, 
Alford,  and  Henderson  understand  this  as  equiv- 
alent to,  Who  can  describe  the  wickedness  of 
the  men  of  his  time  ?  but,  though  this  is  a  legiti- 
mate rendering,  it  does  not  agree  with  the  spirit 
of  the  passage,  which  is  concerned  with  the 
humiliation  of  the  Messiah,  not  with  the  charac- 
ter of  the  times  in  which  he  lived ;  Hengsten- 
berg  interprets  it,  Who  shall  declare  his  poster- 
,ity?  i.  e.,  his  spiritual  children,  born  of  the 
,  travail  of  his  soul ;  but  this  is  doubtful  as  a 
translation,  interjects  in  the  middle  of  a  passage 
descriptive  of  the  Messiah's  humiliation  a  sug- 
gestion of  his  triumphal  future,  and  is  inconsis- 


tent with  the  sentence  which  follows,  "For  he 
is  taken  from  the  earth."  R.  Payne  Smith  ren- 
ders it,  "  Who  will  care  to  bestow  thought  on  a 
career  so  prematurely  cut  short?"  This  agrees 
better  with  the  spjirit  of  the  passage  than  either 
of  the  other  interpretations,  and  though  the 
Greek  word  rendered  generation  (ysvtil)  has  no- 
where else  in  the  N.  T.  the  sense  of  a  single  life, 
given  to  it  by  this  translation,  its  Hebrew  equiv- 
alent in  the  original  prophecy  has  that  meaning. 
Calvin's  interpretation  of  the  entire  passage  is 
ingenious  and  even  beautiful,  if  I  understand 
him  aright ;  but  I  doubt  if  it  be  sound.  It  may 
be  expressed  tersely  in  a  paraphrase  :  In  his  hu- 
miliation his  righteousness  was  exalted  (made 
manifest ;  comp.  Phil.  3:9;  Heb.  1  :  9),  and  who 
shall  declare  his  (eternal)  life  (or  perhaps  his 
generation,  which  would  then  include  all  his 
saints,  who  share  with  him  eternal  life) ;  for  his 
life  is  taken  from  the  earth.  According  to  this 
interpretation,  ver.  33  describes  the  Messiah's 
humiliation,  ver.  33  his  exaltation  in  consequence 
thereof. 

34-36.  Of  Avhom  speaketh  the  prophet 
this  ?  The  earlier  Jewish  authorities  all  under- 
stood ch,  53  of  Isaiah  to  refer  to  the  coming 
Messiah  ;  the  later  Jewish  writers  treat  it  either 
as  a  composition  of  Jeremiah  or  Josiah,^  and  as 
referring  to  the  writer  himself,  or  as  fulfilled  in 
and  by  the  sufferings  inflicted  upon  the  Jewisli 
nation  as  a  nation.  These  interpretations  need 
no  other  refutation  than  that  contained  in  the 
chapter  itself.  The  nation,  as  a  nation,  was  not 
cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living,  nor  had  its 
grave  with  the  wicked,  nor  saw  its  seed  and 
prolonged  its  days  ;  nor  can  it  be  said  of  the  na- 
tion that  its  suffering  was  for  others  ;  it  was  a 
just  punishment  for  its  own  sins  (isaiah  1 : 4, 5 ;  jcr. 
17 : 1-4).  "All  attempts  to  find  any  solution  other 
than  the  historical  one  supplied  in  the  Gospels 
are  but  instances  of  the  blindness  over  which 
the  prophet  lamented  (in  ch.  53  : 1),  'Who  hath 
believed  our  report  ?' "—(J?.  Payne  Smith.)— 
Preached  unto  him  Jesus.  Literally,  An- 
nounced to  him  the  glad  tidings,  Jesus.  The  name 
(Matt.  1 :  21)  indicates  the  nature  of  the  glad  tidings 
announced,  viz.,  that  Jesus,  by  his  fulfillment  of 
this  prophecy,  had  provided  a  way  of  salvation 
for  all  who  accept  him.  The  next  verse  indi- 
cates that  the  preaching  included  some  explana- 
tion concerning  the  rite  of  baptism  and  its  sig- 
nificance.   Philip  could  hardly  have  expounded 


Ch.  VIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


105 


37  And  Philip  said,  If''  thou  believest  with  all  thine 
heart,  thou  mayest.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I*  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God. 

38  And  he  commanded  the  cliariot  to  stand  still :  and 
they  went  down  both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and 
the  eunuch  •  and  he  baptized  him. 

39  And  wnen  they  were  come  up  out  of  the  water, 


the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  <  caught  away  Philip,  that  the 
eunuch  saw  him  no  more:  and  he  went  on  lus  way 
rejoicing." 

40  But  Philip  was  found  at  Azotus:  and  passing 
through,  he  preached  in  all  the  cuies,  till  he  came  to 
Caesarea. 


r  ver.  12;  Mark  16  :  16 s  John  11  :  27  ;  1  Cor.  12:  3;  IJohn  4  :  IS  . . . .  t  1  Kings  18  :  12  ;  Ezek.  3  :  12,14 u  Ps.  119  :  14,  111, 


the  passage  in  question  in  Isaiah  to  a  heathen^ 
and  not  have  himself  obtained  a  broader  concep- 
tion of  the  universality  of  the  Gospel  than  he 
ever  had  before.  The  case  is  one  of  the  teacher 
taught. — They  came  unto  a  certain  water. 
The  site  is  absolutely  unknown,  and  the  attempts 
to  identify  it  with  any  existing  spring  or  wady 
are  almost  necessarily  fruitless,  since  not  even 
the  road,  much  less  the  location  on  it,  is  known 
with  any  degree  of  certainty.    The  accompany- 


PHTLIP'S    FOUNTAIN. 


ing  illustration  shows  one  of  the  traditional  sites, 
which  derives  its  name  from  the  incident  here 
recorded.  It  is  about  five  miles  south-west  of 
Jerusalem,  near  one  of  the  roads  to  Gaza,  and 
one  less  traveled  than  the  others,  a  circumstance 
slightly  confirmatory  of  the  tradition  which  con- 
nects it  with  the  eunuch's  baptism,  and  which 
dates  from  about  the  time  of  the  crusades.  This 
spring  is  a  favorite  resort  of  the  women,  both 
for  drawing  water  and  for  washing  clothes. — 


What  doth  hinder   me  to  be  baptized  ? 

"Faith  ■within  and  water  without  were  ready." — 
{Bengel.) 

37.  This  verse  is  wanting  in  the  best  manu- 
scripts. It  is  omitted  by  Alford  and  Tischen- 
dorf.  Dr.  Hackett  declares  against  it.  It  is 
thought  to  have  been  inserted  from  a  primitive 
baptismal  liturgy.  Though  probably  not  gen- 
uine, it  unquestionably  embodies  the  spirit  of 
the  rite,  which,  whether  infants  were  baptized 
or  not,  was  certainly  never  administered  to 
adults  except  upon  the  condition  of  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  as  a  diviue  Saviour. 

38-40.  Into  the  Avater  *  *  *  out  of 
the  water.  The  original  unquestionably  im- 
plies a  going,  not  ?o,  but  into^  the  water ;  but  it 
does  rot  necessarily  imply  immersion,  still  less 
complete  submersion.  The  two  may  have  stood 
in  the  water,  while  baptism  was  performed, 
either  by  sprinkling,  pouring,  or  immersion.  See 
Vol.  I,  p.  To,  for  note  on  Form  of  Baptism. — He 
baptized  him.  Without  waiting  further  to 
instruct  him,  or  delaying  for  a  public  ceremonial. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  account  to  indicate  that 
any  were  present,  except  Philip  and  the  eunuch. 
— The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away 
Philip.  The  original  is  correctly  rendered  by 
the  English  version  and  seems  to  me  to  imply  a 
sudden  and  supernatural  removal  of  Philip.  The 
expression  in  1  Kings  18  :  13,  and  2  Kings  2  :  16, 
and  the  disappearance  of  Christ  in  Luke  24  :  31, 
interpret  the  statement  here.  So  Alford,  Ben- 
gel,  Baumgarten.  Meyer,  Olshausen,  and  Hack- 
ett understand  that  nothing  is  implied,  but  that 
Philip  left  the  eunuch  suddenly  and  under  a 
divine  impulse,  as  he  joined  him  ;  but  the  Greek 
verb  {uqna^ia^  caught  away)  always  indicates  a 
forcible  removal  by  some  power  from  without, 
never  a  voluntary  act  under  a  mere  internal 
impulse.  See,  for  examples.  Matt.  13  :  19  ;  John 
6  :  15 ;  Acts  23  :  10 ;  3  Cor.  12  :  2,  4 ;  Rev.  13  :  5. 
— He  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  "He  no 
more  saw,  nor  cared  to  see  Philip,  by  reason  of 
joy.  He  who  has  obtained  the  Scripture  and 
Christ,  can  now  dispense  with  a  human  guide." 
— (Bengel.)— FhiM-p  was  found  at  Azotus. 
Or  Ashdod,  a  city  of  the  Philistines,  near  the 
Mediterranean  and  about  midway  between  Gaza 
and  Joppa.  It  was  never  thoroughly  subjugated 
by  the  Jews ;  was  captured  by  Tartan  the  Assy- 
rian general  (isaiah  20 : 1),  and  again  by  Psammeti- 


106 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  VIII. 


chus  (Jer.  25 :  2o).  In  the  restoration,  the  daugh- 
ters of  Ashdod  became  a  snare  to  Israel  (Neh.  is :  23, 
24).  In  the  N.  T.  it  is  mentioned  only  here ;  but 
in  early  ecclesiastical  history,  it  became  the  seat 
of  a  Christian  church.  Its  site  is  now  called  Es- 
dud,  and  its  ruins  contain  remains  of  pottery  and 
other  evidences  of  a  former  city  of  considerable 
size. — In  all  the  cities.    These  would  include 


Ekron,  Jamnia,  Joppa,  ApoUonia,  and  perhaps 
Lydda. 

Caesarea.  There  were  two  towns  of  this  name 
in  Palestme,  both  named  from  the  Caesars,  one 
CiEsarea  Philippi  on  the  northern  borders  of  the 
Holy  Land,  the  other  the  Caesarea  mentioned 
here  and  sometimes  called  Caesarea  Palestinae. 
It  was  on  the  Mediterranean  coast,  about  seventy 


AZOTUS. — ASHDOD. 


miles  northwest  of  Jerusalem  ;  was  built  by 
Herod  the  Great,  who  constructed  a  theatre  and 
amphitheatre,  some  of  the  walls  of  which  may 
still  be  traced.  It  is  described  as  a  magnificent 
city  by  Josej^hus,  who  speaks  of  an  artificial  har- 
bor formed  by  a  breakwater.  However  exag- 
gerated his  description  may  be,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  city  was  large,  populous  and  prosperous. 


It  was  the  residence  of  the  Herodian  family;  the 
military  headquarters  of  Kome  ;  and  conspicvious 
from  the  sea  by  reason  of  its  fine  public  build- 
ings. In  N.  T.  history  it  is  notable  as  the  scene  of 
Peter's  visit  to  Cornelius  (chaps.  10, 11),  of  Herod 
Agrippa's  fatal  stroke  (ch.  12 :  19-23),  and  of  Paul's 
imprisonment  and  trial  (ch.  23 :  23,  etc.).  In  ecclesi- 
astical history,  it  is  notable  as  the  scene  of  Ori- 


C-S;SAREA    PALiESTINA.       (From  the  north,  showing  the  ruins  of  the  harbor.) 


gen's  retirement,  when  excommunicated,  and  of 
the  later  and  riper  literary  labors  of  his  life.  It 
is  now  utterly  desolate  ;  its  ruins  a  quarry,  out  of 
which  other  towns  are  constructed  ;  but  its  name 
still  survives  in  the  Arabic  Kaisariyeh.  It  was  at 
the  time  of  Philip's  visit,  chiefly  a  Gentile  city, 
■  and  his  preaching  there  was  a  continuance  and 
an  enlargement  of  the  new  dispensation,  now 


opening  before  the  church,  in  which  the  Gospel 
was  to  be  preached  to  every  creature,  and  prove 
itself  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  Gentile 
as  weU  as  Jew. 


Ch.  9  :  1-9.    THE  CONVERSION  OF  S.\IIL.    The  new 

BIRTH  rLLQSTRATED. 

Of  Saul's  conversion  there  are  three  accounts 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


107 


CHAPTER    IX. 

AND  Saul,  yet"  breathing  out   threatenings   and 
slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went 
unto  the  high  priest, 
2  And  desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus  to  the 


synagogues,  that,  if  he  found  any  of  this  way,  whether 
they  were  men  or  women,  he  might  bring  them  bound 
unto  Jerusalem. 

3  And"  as  he  journeyed,  he  came  near  Damascus: 
and  suddenly  there  shined  round  about  him  a  light 
from  heaven : 


T  ch.  8  :  3  ;  Gal.  1  :  13 


in  the  N.  T.,  the  one  here  by  Luke,  and  two  by 
Paul ;  one  in  his  address  to  the  mob  at  Jerusalem 
(ch.  22 : 1-11 ),  the  other  in  his  address  before  Agrippa 
(ch.  26 : 8-18).  The  account  here  is  presumptively 
derived  from  Paul,  so  that  the  three  accounts 
come  from  one  source.  The  date  is  involved  in 
uncertainty ;  there  is  nothing  to  determine  it. 
Opinions  vary  between  a.  d.  30  and  a.  d.  40.  On 
the  variations  in  the  accounts  and  their  reconcil- 
iation, the  previous  life  of  Paul,  the  authenticity 
and  significance  of  the  events  here  recorded,  etc., 
see  note  on  Conversion  of  Saul  below. 

1.  But  Saul.  Bat  (Ji)  marks  the  contrast 
between  the  missionary  zeal  of  Philip  and  the 
persecuting  zeal  of  Saul.  Both  are  zealous ;  but 
the  conscience  of  the  one  is  inflamed  by  hate,  that 
of  the  other  is  inspired  by  love. — Breathing 
out  threatenings  and  slaughter.  A  preg- 
nant expression,  signifying  that  his  whole  nature 
was  full  of  an  impassioned  hate  of  the  disciples 
of  Christ.  Paul  expresses  the  same  thing  by 
describing  himself  as  "exceeding  mad  against 
them"  (ch.  26  :  11).— Went  unto  the  high- 
priest.  As  president  of  the  Sanhedrim.  The 
whole  council  considered  and  acted  on  the  appli- 
cation, the  elders  (ch.  22 : 5)  and  the  chief-priests 
(ch.  26 ;  12)  uniting  with  the  high-priest  in  confer- 
ring the  commission. 


A   TURKISH   FIRMAN. 


2.  And  desired  of  him  letters.  It  is  cus- 
tomary in  the  East  to  issue  letters  of  authority 
or  protection,  answering  somewhat  to  the  pass- 
port, always  nominally,  of  ten  practically,  required 


in  European  countries.  These  sometimes  carry 
with  them  some  special  commission  or  authority. 
Thus  Nehemiah  (ch.  2  -.  7,  s)  received  letters  from 
the  king  to  the  governors  of  Palestine  ;  so  at  the 
present  day  the  traveller  in  Turkey  has  to  pro- 
vide himself  with  letters  (a  firman)  from  the 
Porte  or  a  pasha,  commending  him  to  the  pro- 
tection of  the  subordinate  .  authorities.  This 
firman  must  be  authenticated  by  the  Sultan's 
cipher,  contaming  the  interlaced  letters  of  his 
name.  Without  this  firman  the  traveller  is  al- 
ways liable  to  arrest  as  a  suspicious  character. 
Tlie  letters  granted  to  Paul  probably  partook  of 
this  character,  and  were  necessary,  both  as  a 
passport  and  as  an  authorization  to  the  syna- 
gogue officers  in  Damascus. 

Damascus.  Probably  the  oldest  existing  city 
in  the  world.  Its  origin  is  lost  in  antiquity.  Ac- 
cording to  Jewish  tradition  it  was  built  by  Uz, 
great-grandson  of  Noah.  It  was  existing  in  Abra- 
ham's time  (Gen.  14 :  15 ;  15 !  2),  after  which  we  hear 
no  more  of  it  until  David  subdued  it  (2  Sam.  8 :  e). 
In  Solomon's  time  and  under  Rezon,  it  became 
the  seat  of  the  Syrian  kingdom  (1  Kings  11 :  23-25), 
and  one  of  the  most  formidable  rivals  of  Israel. 
The  two  Benhadads  waged  long  and  bloody  wars 
with  the  contemporaneous  kings  of  Israel  (1  Kings 
15 :  20) ;  and  when  Hazael  seized  the  throne  of 
Damascus,  the  kingdom  of  Israel  fared  still 
worse.  At  length  the  rising  monarchy  of  Assy- 
ria got  possession  of  Damascus  (2 Kings  16: 9;  isaiah 
10:9),  and  during  the  contests  for  empire  that 
ensued  for  many  centuries,  while  Damascus 
often  changed  its  masters,  it  never  became  prop- 
erly the  capital  of  a  kingdom.  In  N.  T.  history 
it  is  chiefly  celebrated  for  being  Paul's  residence 
immediately  after  his  conversion  and  the  scene 
of  his  first  Christian  labors.  In  later  history  it 
became  the  seat  of  a  Christian  bishop,  but  in 
process  of  time  the  Christian  influence  in  the 
city  was  overshadowed  by  the  Mohammedan. 
It  fell,  A.  D.  635,  into  the  hands  of  the  caliph 
Omar.  Subsequently  it  shared  in  the  manifold 
vicissitudes  which  passed  over  the  provinces  of 
Western  Asia,  till  it  fell,  in  1.516,  into  the  power 
of  Sultan  Selim  I.  Since  then  it  has  remained 
under  the  sway  of  Turkey,  the  most  populous 
and  flourishing  city  which  belongs  to  Asiatic 
Turkey.  It  occupies  perhaps  the  most  beautiful 
site  in  all  Western  Asia,  at  the  eastern  base  oi 
Anti-Libauus,  in  the  centre  of  a  large  plain  oi 
great  fertility,  watered  by  the  rivers  Barada  and 


108 


THE   ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


Awaj,  the  ancient  Abana  and  Pharpar  of  Scrip- 
ture. Its  trees  and  surrounding  gardens  Impart 
to  it  a  peculiarly  picturesque  appearance  from  a 
distance.  Its  beauty  is  illustrated  by  the  legend 
that  Mohammed  once,  on  approaching  the  city, 
turned  resolutely  away  after  gazing  upon  it, 
saying:  "Man  can  have  but  one  paradise,  and 
my  paradise  is  fixed  above."  The  more  notice- 
able public  buildings  are  the  eastern  gate,  which 
exhibits  some  remains  of  Roman  architecture, 
the  castle,  which  in  its  foundation  dates  from 
the  Roman  period,  and  the  great  mosque  of  the 
Omniades.  There  are  upward  of  eighty  smaller 
mosques  scattered  through  the  city.  The  prin- 
cipal street,  a  long,  wide  thoroughfare  leading 
from  one  of  the  gates  to  the  castle  or  palace  of 
the  pasha,  is  regarded  by  the  Christian  popula- 
tion as  "the  street  which  is  called  Straight" 
(ver.  11),  and  tradition  designates  that  part  of  the 
city  wall  by  which  the  apostle  made  his  escape 
from  his  first  persecutors  (ver,  25).  It  has  a 
present  population  of  upward  of  150,000,  com- 
posed of  Jews,  Moslems,  and  Christians;  Al- 
ford's  estimate  of  ;2.50,000  is  almost  certainly 
quite  too  large.  Its  manufactures  are  still  of 
some  importance,  tJiough  the  famous  Damascus 
blades  exist  no  more,  and  its  famed  damasto  have 
lost  their  ancient  renown. 

To  the  synav^ogues.  This  term,  like  our 
own  word  church,  is  ambiguous ;  it  may  mean 
either  the  building  or  the  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion. Here  it  designates  the  latter.  For  history 
and  description  of  Jewish  synagogues  see  Matt. 
4  :  33,  note.  In  the  Jewish  economy,  in  which 
church  and  state  were  one,  the  synagogue  was 
both  ecclesiastical  and  civil ;  it  possessed  judicial 
powers.  It  exercised  these,  however,  in  subjec- 
tion to  the  Sanhedrim  at  Jerusalem,  to  which 
appeals  were  taken,  and  from  which  commands 
were  received.    Julius  Caesar,  by  imperial  edict, 


B.  c.  47,  decreed  that  "  Hyrcanus  and  his  chil- 
dren do  retain  all  the  rights  of  high-priest, 
whether  established  by  law  or  accorded  by  cour- 
tesy ;  and  if  hereafter  any  question  arise  touch- 
ing the  Jewish  polity,  I  desire  that  the  deter- 
mination thereof  be  referred  to  him."  This 
decree  was  subsequently  confirmed  by  Augustus, 
and  under  these  decrees,  and  the  general  policy 
which  they  embodied,  the  Sanhedrim  at  Jerusa- 
lem continued  to  exercise  its  judicial  powers 
over  the  Jews  wherever  found,  and  were  sup- 
ported in  this  by  the  acquiescence,  if  not  by  the 
active  co-operation,  of  the  Roman  authorities. 
Thus  Paul's  letters  to  the  synagogues  at  Da- 
mascus were  adequate  for  dealing  with  all  Jew- 
ish Christians,  and  as  yet  the  Christian  religion 
had  not  considerably  extended  beyond  the  bounds 
of  the  Jewish  church.  The  Jewish  population  at 
Damascus  was  .50,000;  there  would,  therefore,  have 
been  a  number  of  synagogues.  Presumptively 
there  were  a  number  of  Christians,  perhaps  con- 
verts returning  after  Pentecost  from  Jei'usalem, 
or  fugitives  from  the  persecution  in  that  city. 
Observe  that  Paul  applied  for  the  letters.  II (• 
instigated  the  persecution. — Of  this  way.  The 
way  of  salvation  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  phrase  is 
elsewhere  used  in  the  N.  T.  with  the  same  sig- 
nificance, showing  that  it  had  become  a  common 
one  among  the  Christians  (ch.  19  : 9,  23;  24 :  22). — 
Both  men  and  women.  Comp.  8  :  3 ;  2',J :  4. 
Religious  persecution  spares  neither  age  nor  sex. 
— Unto  Jerusalem.  For  trial  before  the  San- 
hedrim, which  alone  had,  under  Jewish  law,  the 
power  of  pronouncing  the  death-sentence. 

3.  And  as  he  journeyed.  There  are  sev- 
eral roads  from  Jerusalem  to  Damascus ;  there 
is  nothing  whatever  to  indicate  which  he  took. 
The  distance  is  variously  estimated  from  120  to 
1.50  miles,  and  would  have  taken  five  or  six  days. 
This  gave  Saul  an  opportunity  for  calm  reflec- 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


109 


4  And  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  heard  a  voice  saying 
unto  him,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  ^ 

5  And  he  said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?    And  the  Lord 


said,  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest :  it  is  hard 
for  thee  to  kick  y  against  the  pricks. 
6   And  he  trembling  and   astonished,  said,  Lord, 


z  Matt.  25  :  40,  43 y  ch.  5  : 


tion,  compelled  him  to  reconsider  the  Gospel 
which  he  had  heard  from  the  lips  of  Stephen, 
and  made  his  heart  accessible  to  the  influence  of 
the  divine  Spirit. — He  came  near  Damascus. 

Dr.  Barrows  notes  significance  in  the  fact  that 
Saul  was  not  arrested  until  near  the  consumma- 
tion of  his  journey:  "God  beholdeth  violent 
men  setting  out  in  their  unjust  attempts.  He 
letteth  them  proceed  on  in  a  full  career,  until 
they  reach  the  edge  of  their  design  ;  then  in- 
stantly he  checketh,  he  stoppeth,  he  tumbleth 
them  down  or  turneth  them  backward."  Thus 
with  Haman  (Esther,  ch.  3),  Pharaoh  (exoJ.,  ch.  u), 
Abimelech  (judges  9 :  53),  Absalom  (•.•  sam.  is :  9),  and 
Sennacherib  (2  Kings  19 :  28). — A  light  from  hea- 
ven. From  heaven,  but  about  him.  It  was  not 
in  the  distant  horizon,  nor  in  the  heavens  above. 
It  was  midday ;  the  sun  was  shining  ;  this  light 
shone  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  ;  it  was 
seen  by  Paul's  companions  as  well  as  himself 
(ch.  22 : 6, 9  J  2G :  is).  All  attempts  to  explain  this 
light  as  an  electric  phenomenon  substitute  the 
imagination  of  the  commentator  for  the  nar- 
rative of  the  historian.  It  was  a  great  light,  of 
what  nature  or  how  produced  there  is  no  hint. 
But  we  may  naturally  connect  it  with  the  fact 
that  both  the  O.  T.  and  the  N.  T.  manifestation 
of  God  was  often  in  or  accompanied  with  a  lumi- 
nous cloud,  very  generally  entitled  the  glory  of 

the  Lord  (Exod.  3:2;  13  :  21,  22  ;  19  :  9,  18 ;  24  :  16  ;  40  :  34,  35  ; 
Deut.  31  :  13 ;  1  Kings  8:10;  Luke  2:9;  Acts  1  :  9,  note  ;  Rev.  1:7; 

14 :  14).  See  Matt.  17  :  5,  note.  Observe  that  this 
phenomenon  occurred  at  midday,  and  when  Saul 
was  journeying,  surrounded  by  companions  ;  the 
circumstances  were  not  such  as  would  tend  to 
produce  an  imaginary  vision. 

4.  He  fell  to  the  earth.  Not  necessarily 
in  the  greatness  of  his  terror,  which  Bengel  im- 
putes to  him.  There  is  no  intimation  of  terror 
here  or  in  either  of  his  own  accounts  ;  and  his 
language  of  questioning,  Who  art  thou  ?  and 
What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  indicates  that 
he  did  not  lose  his  presence  of  mind.  See  below. 
—Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 
Tlie  name  is  repeated  for  emphasis.  So  Martha, 
Martha  (Lukeio:4i);  Simon,  Simon  (Luke  22:  si); 
Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  (Matt.  23 :  37),  There  might 
be  a  question  whether  this  was  an  audible  voice, 
or  whether  it  spoke  only  within  Saul's  soul,  but 
for  two  circumstances :  in  his  speech  before 
Agrippa  Paul  says  that  it  spake  in  the  Hebrew 
totigue,  and  here,  in  ver.  7,  it  is  said  that  the  men 
heard  the  voice.  It  is,  therefore,  evident  that 
there  was  an  audible  voice,  not  merely  a  spirit- 


ual impression  produced  on  the  mind  of  Saul. 
Observe  the  form  of  the  question,  Why  perse- 
cutest thou  me  ?  not  my  disciples,  nor  my  church. 
"Paul  strikes  in  Damascus;  Christ  suffers  in 
heaven," — {Hall.)  Henry's  comments  on  this 
question  are  very  suggestive.  It  is  personal, 
Why  persecutest  thou  me  (comp.  2  Sam.  12 :  t),  shows 
the  sin  as  one  against  the  Son  of  God,  Perse- 
cutest me  (Matt.  25 :  45),  and  demands  of  his  con- 
science a  reason  for  his  animosity,  Why  per- 
secutest (isalah  1  :  is). 

5,  6.  And  he  said.  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ? 

It  is  reasonably  evident,  from  several  considera- 
tions, that  Saul  not  only  heard  the  voice,  but 
saw  Him  who  spake.  This  is  implied  by  the 
declaration  of  ver.  8,  that  the  men  who  were  with 
him  saw  no  man ;  by  the  language  of  Ananias, 
"Jesus  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  "  (ver. 
17,  comp.  22 :  14) ;  by  the  declaration  of  Barnabas, 
"how  he  (Paul)  had  &een  the  Lord  in  the  way  " 
(ver.  27) ;  and  from  Paul's  subsequent  distinct 
declaration  concerning  himself  that  he  had  seen 
the  Lord  (i  Cor.  9 :  i ;  15 : 8),  wherc  he  unquestion- 
ably refers  to  this  experience,  for  there  is  no 
indication  that  he  ever  saw  the  Lord  prior  to  the 
crucifixion  ;  indeed  the  language  of  1  Cor.  1.5  :  8 
implies  the  reverse.  Observe  that  Saul  does  not 
yield  allegiance  to  the  unknown  speaker  until  he 
has  questioned  him,  and,  by  the  disclosure  of 
Saul's  secret  uneasiness  (see  next  verse),  the  speaker 
has  given  evidence  of  divine  omniscience.  They 
entirely  misread  Saul's  character  and  the  nar- 
rative here,  who  attribute  the  change  in  him 
to  the  effect  of  mere  terror. — But  he,  I  am 
Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest.  This  is  the 
literal  rendering  of  the  best  manuscripts.  Ob- 
serve how  the  whole  effect  of  this  interview  is 
to  press  home  upon  Paul's  conscience  his  guilt 
as  a  persecutor  of  the  Lord,  and  note  its  effect  in 
his  subsequent  experience  of  humility  and  of 
thankfulness  for  divine  grace  (i  Cor.  is :  9,  lo ;  i  Tim. 
1 :  12-17).  Observe,  too,  that  the  Lord  calls  him- 
self here  not  Christ,  the  Messiah,  the  name  of 
dignity,  but  Jesus,  Saviour,  the  name  of  his 
earthly  humiliation. — It  is  hard  for  thee  to 
kick  against  the  goads.  And  he  trem- 
bling and  astonished  said,  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  him.  These  words  are  wanting  in 
the  best  manuscripts.  They  are  omitted  by  Al- 
ford,  Tischendorf,  Alexander,  Hackett.  For  the 
statement  that  Saul  trembled  and  was  astonished 
there  is,  therefore,  no  authority,  for  this  is  not 
stated  by  him  in  either  of  the  other  accounts. 


110 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


what '  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  sliall  be 
told  thee  what  thou  must  do. 

7  And  the  men   which  journeyed  with   him  stood 
speechless,  hearing  a  voice,  but^  seeing  no  man. 


8  And  Saul  arose  from  the  earth  ;  and  when  his  eyes 
were  opened,  he  saw  no  man  :  but  they  led  him  by  the 
hand,  and  brought  him  into  Damascus. 

9  And  he  was  three  days  without  sight,  and  neither 
did  eat  nor  drink. 


.  a  Dan.  10  :  7. 


The  rest  of  the  narrative  here  is  unquestionably 
accurate,  having  been  transferred,  partly  from 
Paul's  address  before  Agrippa  (ch.  26 :  u,  15),  partly 
from  his  address  to  the  mob  at  Jerusalem  (ch. 
22 :  10).  It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  gcads 
{pricks)  is  a  proverbial  expression,  found  both  in 
Roman  and  Greek  literature.  It  is  derived  from 
the  use  of  the  ox-goad.  This  in  Palestine  was  a 
strong  pole,  eight  or  ten  feet  long,  with  a  point- 
ed prick  at  one   end  with  which   to   urge   on 


^^ 


ANCIENT   OX-GOAD. 

the  oxen,  and  a  kind  of  chisel  at  the  other  with 
which  to  clear  the  plowshare  of  earth  and  weeds. 
The  size  of  the  Jewish  ox-goad  is  indicated  by 
Judges  3  :  21.  The  ox,  being  driven  from  be- 
hind, not,  as  with  us,  from  the  side,  would  strike 
against  the  goad  if  it  resisted  by  kicking.  The 
figure  is  partially  interpreted  by  Eccles.  13  :  11  : 
"The  words  of  the  wise  are  as  goads,"  because 
they  direct  into  the  right  path  and  stimulate  to 
energy.  Paul's  conscience,  if  he  had  followed 
it,  would  have  similarly  guided  him  out  of  the 
path  into  which  the  pride  of  a  perverted  intel- 
lect was  leading  him.  Though  he  thought  he 
was  doing  God  service  in  opposing  the  Christian 
church  (c:h.  22:3;  26:9),  he  was  all  the  time  ill  at 
ease.  His  soul  was  not  at  peace  ;  his  life  was 
one  of  real  resistance  to  the  guidance  and  the 
goading  of  his  own  conscience,  and  it  was  hard 
for  him.  This  single  sentence,  which  revealed 
to  Saul  Christ's  knowledge  of  his  inmost  soul, 
gives  us  a  glimpse  of  it,  and  answers  in  the 
negative  the  oft-repeated  question  whether  Saul 
was  doing  right  in  persecuting  the  church  under 
the  impulse  of  a  genuine  religious  zeal  (see  ch. 
86  :  10,  11,  notes).  What  loUt  thou  have  me  to  do. 
Lord?  is  incorporated  in  the  narrative  here  from 
ch.  33  :  10.  The  question  is  that  of  one  over- 
powered and  bewildered,  who  does  not  under- 
stand ;  knows  and  feels  that  something  must  be 
done,  but  knows  not  what  to  do.  It  thus  repre- 
sents the  natural  inquiry  of  the  awakened  soul 
io  its  first  surprise,  when  the  claim  of  Christ  as 
Master  is  really  brought  home  to  the  conscious- 
ness. But  the  appellation  Lord,  indicates  in 
Paul's  mind  a  recognition  of  a  Lord  and  Master 
in  the  Jesus  whom  he  had  before  been  perse- 
cuting, and  the  very  form  of  the  question  im- 
plies a  readiness  to  do  what  the  Lord  bids  him, 


whatever  that  may  be  ;  and  this  implication  is  con- 
firmed by  his  obedience  to  the  divine  directions. 
—Arise  and  go  into  the  city.  A  severe  test 
of  his  allegiance.  He  expected  to  enter  the  city 
with  prestige,  armed  with  letters  from  the  high- 
priest,  to  be  received  and  honored  by  the  chief 
men  of  his  own  nation;  he  was  commanded  to 
enter  it  in  humiliation,  as  a  disciple  of  the  Jesus 
whom  he  had  publicly  persecuted,  and  receive 
his  instructions  from  one  of  the  before-despised 
and  outcast  Christians. 

7,  8.  The  men  *  *  *  stood.  According 
to  ch.  26  :  14,  the  men  as  well  as  Saul  fell  to  the 
ground  at  the  appearance  of  the  light.  On  the 
reconciliation  of  these  two  accounts,  see  note 
below. — Hearing  a  voice.  Literally,  Of  the 
voice,  i.  e.,  the  sound  of  a  voice  (on  the  signifi- 
cance of  genitive  after  uzoww,  see  Winer,  §  30,  c)  ; 
but  they  did  not  understand  what  was  said ; 
hence,  in  his  speech  to  the  mob  in  Jerusalem, 
Paul  says.  They  heard  not  the  voice  of  him 
that  spake  ;  i.  e.,  they  did  not  hear  it  as  an  intel- 
ligible voice,  so  that  they  could  comprehend 
its  meaning. — When  his  eyes  were  opened, 
he  saw  no  one.  The  reason  is  given  in  ch. 
33  :  11,  "When  I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of 
that  light."  Its  effect  had  been  to  blind  him ; 
and  apparently  (see  below)  he  never  fully  recovered 
from  the  effects.  Saw  no  one,  signifies  not  merely 
that  he  no  longer  saw  the  divine  Person  with 
whom  he  had  been  speaking,  but  he  was  no 
longer  able  to  see  at  all.  This  is  indicated  by  the 
next  clause  of  the  verse. — They  led  him  by 
the  hand.  This  appearance  of  Christ  does  not 
appear  from  the  narrative  to  have  converted 
Saul's  Jewish  companions.  So  Christ's  call  to 
James  and  John  was  heard  but  apparently  not 
heeded  by  their  father  (Matt.  4 :  21, 22).  It  is  not  for 
lack  of  evidence,  but  for  lack  of  willingness,  that 
souls  remain  out  of  Christ. 

9.  Neither  did  eat  nor  drink.  It  is  hardly 
doubtful  that  this  was  a  voluntary  fast,  under- 
gone by  Paul,  in  accordance  with  his  Pharisaic 
education,  in  connection  with  prayer  for  pardon 
and  guidance.  This  would  have  been  in  accord 
with  his  Pharisaic  education,  and  would  have 
naturally  accompanied  the  highly  wrought  con- 
dition of  his  mind.  The  other  explanations,  that 
it  was  a  medicinal  abstinence  for  the  restoration 
of  his  eyesight,  or  the  mere  natural  effect  of  men- 
tal excitement,  are  improbable,  the  first  highly 
so.  His  mental  conflict  is  left  undescribed ;  it 
must  have  been  heightened  by  his   loneliness. 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


ill 


"He  could  have  no  communion  with  the  Chris- 
tians, for  they  had  been  terrified  by  the  news  of 
his  approach.  And  the  unconverted  Jews  could 
have  no  true  sympathy  with  his  present  state  of 
mind." — {Conybeare  and  Howson.) 
Note  on  the  Conversion  of  Saul.    I.  Tlie 


fact.  There  are  three  accounts  of  Saul's  conver- 
sion, all  contained  in  the  same  history,  one  by 
Luke,  the  other  two  in  reported  addresses  by 
Paul.  There  are  some  difEerences  in  these  ac- 
counts, which  will  appear  clearly  by  a  compari- 
son of  the  following  tabular  analysis : 


Acts  9  :  1-9. 

Acts  22:  3-11. 

Acts  26  :  9-18. 

Luke's  Histoby. 

Paul's  Speech  befoee  the  Mob.     . 

Paul's  Speech  before  Ageippa. 

Saul  describes  his  birth  and  educa- 

Saul thought  he  ought  to  oppose 

tion. 

Christ. 

Saul     persecutes     the     Christian 

Persecutes  the  Christian  Church. 

Persecutes  the  Church.— Details. 

Church. 

Desires  letters  from  the  high-priest 

Eeceives  letters    from    the    high- 

Receives  commission  from  the  chief 

to  the  synagogues. 

priest  and  elders  unto  the  breth- 
ren. 
To  bring  Christians  to  Jeruealem 

priests. 

To  bring  Christians,  both  men  and 

women,  to  Jerusalem. 

to  be  punished. 

Near  Damascus,  a  light  suddenly 

About  noon,  near  Damascus,  a  light 

At  midday,  near  Damascus,  a  light 

shines  about  him. 

suddenly  shines  about  him. 

suddenly  shines  about  him, 
above  the  brightness  of  the  sun. 

He  falls  to  the  ground. 

He  falls  to  the  groimd. 

All  fall  to  the  ground. 

A  voice  addresses  him :  Saul,  Saul, 

A  voice  addresses  him  :  Saul,  SanJ, 

A  voice  addresses  him  in  the  He- 

why persecutest  thou  me  ? 

why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 

brew  tongue :  Saul,  Saul,  etc.  It 
adds :  It  is  hard  for  tliee  to  kick 
against  the  pricks. 

He  responds :  Who  art  thou  Lord  ? 

He  responds:  Who  art  thou  Lord  ? 

He  responds :    Who  art  thou  Lord  ? 

The   Lord   replies:    I    am    Jesus 

The  Lord  replies:   I  am  Jesus  of 

The  Lord  replies:   I  am  Jesus  of 

whom  thou  persecutest. 

Nazareth    whom    thou    perse- 

Nazareth   whom    thou    perse- 

cutest. 

cutest  ; 

His  companions  stand  speechless. 

His  companions  see  the  light  but 

hearing  a  voice,  but  seeing  no 

hear  not  the  voice. 

one.    (See  note  on  verses  5  and 

6.) 

Saul  asks :  What  shall  I  do  ? 

Saul  is  directed  to  go  to  Damascus 

And  is  directed  to  go  to  Damascus 

And  proceeds  to  give  him  his  com- 

for instructions. 

for  instructions. 

mission  as  a  missionary  to  the 
Gentiles. 

He  is  blinded. 

He  is  blinded  by  the  light. 

And  led   into  Damascus    by   the 

And    led   into   Damascus   by   the 

Preaches  first  at  Damascus,  in  obedi- 

hand. 

hand. 

ence  to  the  heavenly  vision. 

The  variations  in  these  accounts  are  indicated 
by  the  italics  in  the  different  columns.  Of  these 
only  four  are  in  the  nature  of  discrepancies,  and 
these  present  no  serious  difficulties,  except  to 
those  who  desire  to  find  contradictions  in  tbe 
Scripture,  or  who  needlessly  multiply  them  by  a 
theory  of  verbal  inspiration,  such  as  the  Scrip- 
tures nowhere  claim,  (a.)  In  ch.  9  :  1, 2,  Saul  re- 
ceives his  commission  from  the  high-priest,  in 
ch.  23  :  5,  from  the  high-priest  and  elders,  in  ch. 
26  :  12,  from  the  chief-priests.  If  granted  by  the 
Sanhedrim,  this  commission  would  be  voted  on 
by  the  body,  comprising  both  elders  and  chief- 
priests,  and  would  be  issued  in  their  name  by  the 
president  of  the  Sanhedrim,  the  high-priest. 
Thus  the  same  fact  is  in  the  three  accounts  de- 
scribed in  different  language.  (&.)  In  ch.  26  :  14, 
all  fell  to  the  earth  ;  in  ch.  9  : 4,  7,  Saul  fell  to  the 


earth,  while  his  companions  stood  speechless. 
The  word  rendered  stood  is  here  used  in  a  general 
way,  to  signify,  not  their  posture,  but  the  effect 
of  their  astonishment  in  depriving  them  for  the 
moment  of  power  to  move.  They  were  both 
speechless  and  motionless.  The  difficulty  is  cre- 
ated in  this  case  by  a  literalism  which  would  not 
be  applied  to  the  interpretation  of  any  other 
book  than  the  Bible,  (c.)  In  ch.  9  :  7,  Saul's  com- 
panions hear  a  voice  ;  in  ch.  23  : 9,  they  hear  not  the 
voice  of  him  that  spake  to  Saul.  The  most  prob- 
able explanation  of  this  discrepancy  is  that  they 
heard  a  sound,  but  did  not  distinguish  any  words ; 
and  this  view  is  confirmed  by  the  language  of  the 
original.  See  note  above.  So  in  John  13  :  38, 
Christ,  and  perhaps  his  disciples,  distinguished 
the  words,  but  the  unbelievers  heard  only  an  inar- 
ticulate and  unmeaning  sound,     (d,)  In  ch.  9  :  6, 


112 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


9,  and  22  :  10, 11,  Saul  is  represented  as  going  into 
Damascus  and  there  receiving  his  commission 
from  Ananias ;  in  ch.  2(3  :  16-18,  this  commission 
is  represented  as  given  directly  and  immediately 
by  Christ,  and  nothing  is  said  of  Saul's  going  to 
Damascus.  To  me  it  appears  clear  that,  in  his 
speech  before  Agrippa,  where  details  were  need- 
less, Paul  summarizes  the  revelation  of  the  divine 
will  made  to  him  by  Ananias  and  subsequently 
at  Jerusalem,  his  object  being  to  present  suc- 
cinctly the  cause  of  the  Jewish  enmity  against 
himself ;  while,  in  his  address  to  the  mob  at  Jeru- 
salem, he  explains  in  detail  how  this  commission 
to  the  Gentiles  came  to  him  first  from  Ananias, 
"a  devout  man  according  to  the  law,"  and  after- 
ward in  a  direct  revelation  from  God,  while  he 
was  praying  in  the  Temple  (ch.  22 :  is-is).  So  Alford 
on  ch.  20  :  lG-18.  "  There  can  be  no  question  that 
Paul  here  condenses  into  one,  various  sayings  of 
our  Lord  to  him  at  different  times,  in  visions,  and 
by  Ananias.  Nor  can  this,  on  the  strictest  view, 
be  considered  any  deviation  from  the  truth.  It 
is  what  all  must  more  or  less  do  who  are  abridg- 
ing a  narrative,  or  giving  the  general  sense  of 
things  said  at  various  times." 

II.  The  essential  fact  in  this  narrative  is  the 
spiritual  change  wrought  in  the  character  of 
Saul,  and  this  change  there  is  no  possible  room 
to  doubt.  His  unquestionably  authentic  letters 
indicate  both  the  original  nature  and  the  subse- 
quent Christian  experience  and  character  of  the 
man.  He  was  by  birth  a  Hebrew,  was  educated 
at  Jerusalem  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  belonged  to 
the  strictest  of  the  two  parties  into  whicli  the 
Pharisees  were  divided,  was  a  believer  in  its  as- 
cetic philosophy,  and  zealous  in  its  ascetic  prac- 
tices   (ch.  22  :  2 ;    26  :  5  ;    Phil.  3  :  6,  6).      ThuS     hc    WaS 

taught  that  hate  of  the  Gentile  was  a  religious 
duty,  that  righteousness  consisted  in  obedience 
to  a  rigorous  ceremonial ;  that  he  must  pray  three 
times  every  day,  fast  twice  a  week,  give  tithes  of 
all  he  possessed,  wash  ceremonially  with  scrupu- 
lous care  before  every  meal.  See  for  illustrations 
of  Pharisaism,  Luke  18  :  11,  12 ;  Mark  8:3.  He 
held  these  tenets  and  practices  of  his  religion 
with  so  unyielding  a  faith,  that  no  cruelty  of  pun- 
ishment seemed  to  him  too  great  for  the  new  sect 
of  Nazarenes  who  denied  them  (ch.  26 : »,  lo).  He 
became  after  his  conversion  the  exponent  of  all 
that  was  broad  and  catholic  and  progressive  in 
the  primitive  church,  preached  that  Jew  as  truly 
as  Gentile  is  under  the  wrath  of  God  (Rom.  s :  9), 
that  righteousness  consists  not  in  obedience  to 
law,  but  in  love  for  God  and  trust  in  him  (o.ni. 
i :  10-13),  that  days  and  weeks  and  ceremonies, 
even  the  most  sacred  ceremonial  of  Judaism,  cir- 
cumcision, are  insignificant  (Rom.  2 :  28, 29 ;  Oai. 4 : 9-11), 
and  gave  his  life  to  the  propagation  of  those  prin- 
ciples which  before  he  had  hated,  and  which  to 
this  day  the  Christian  church  is  hardly  able  to 


comprehend  or  to  accept  in  their  fullness.  That 
this  change  took  place,  and  by  the  direct  inter- 
vention and  interposition  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  is 
the  essential  fact  in  the  conversion  of  Paul.  \^  hat 
were  the  external  circumstances  is  a  matter  of 
secondary  importance. 

III.  That  a  supernatural  light  shone,  that  an 
audible  voice  spoke,  and  that  a  real  sight  of  the 
glorified  Saviour  was  vouchsafed  to  Saul,  is  how- 
ever unquestionably  indicated  by  the  N.  T.  his- 
tory. And  though,  of  the  three  accounts  which 
we  possess,  two  are  certainly,  and  the  third  prob- 
ably, derived  from  Saul,  his  narrative  is  con- 
firmed by  the  following  considerations:  (a.)  It 
is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  account  for  a 
change  so  marvelous,  so  sudden,  and  so  radical, 
except  by  means  of  a  direct  and  supernatural 
appearance.  (6.)  Saul,  in  his  subsequent  minis- 
try, frequently  referred  to  the  event  (Rom.  1  :  1 ; 
1  Cor.  1 : 1 ;  9 : 1 ;  16 ;  8),  and  twicc  narrated  it  in  de- 
tail. His  companions  on  the  journey  were  still 
living,  knew  whether  the  tale  was  true  or  false, 
and  yet  throughout  his  life,  bitterly  as  he  was 
opposed,  both  without  and  within  the  church, 
his  account  of  his  call  and  conversion  never  ap- 
pears to  have  been  questioned,  (c.)  He  refers  in 
somewhat  enigmatical  terms  to  the  marks  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  which  he  bore  in  his  body,  as 
an  evidence  of  his  apostleship  (Gai.  6 :  n).  What 
marks  these  were  is  not  indeed  known,  but  it  is  a 
reasonable  surmise  that  they  are  the  "  thorn  in 
the  flesh  "  (2  Cor.  12 : :),  and  the  "  infirmity  of  the 
flesh"  (Gal. 4 :  13),  and  made  his  bodily  presence 
"weak  and  contemptible  "  (2  Cor.  10 :  10) ;  and  his 
reference  to  the  zeal  of  the  Galatians,  who 
"would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes  and 
given  them  to  me"  (cai. 4:ir.),  coujjled  with  the 
temporary  blindness  here  described,  gives  color 
to  the  hypothesis  that  in  all  these  passages  he 
refers  to  a  weakened  eyesight  which,  to  his  death, 
confirmed  his  narrative  of  his  miraculous  conver- 
sion, at  once  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  and  a  manifesta- 
tion "of  the  power  of  Christ"  upon  him. 

IV.  The  essential  features  of  Saul's  conver- 
sion, as  an  inward  experience,  afford  a  profitable 
theme  for  the  devout  student.  Observe  in  re- 
spect to  them  :  (1.)  The  divine  preparation  :  (a.) 
Stephen's  speech  and  heavenly  vision  ;  the  former 
contains  the  germs  of  all  Paul's  subsequent  the- 
ology ;  the  latter  is  a  forerunner  of  his  own  sight 
of  the  glorified  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  See  ch.  7  and 
notes,  (b.)  Pnul's  own  earnestness  ;  honest  zeal  in 
a  bad  cause  is  a  better  preparation  for  the  Gospel 
than  ind'fference.  (c.)  His  enforced  quiet  and 
time  of  thought  during  his  week's  journey  to 
Damascus.  (2.)  The  suddenness  of  the  change. 
There  is  no  long  struggle,  no  bitter  remorse,  nor 
deep  despair,  no  waiting  for  light,  or  for  time  to 
reform,  or  repair  the  past.  Saul  falls  to  the  earth 
a  persecutor,  he  rises  a  disciple.    (3.)  The  nature 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


113 


lo  And  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at  Damascus, 
named  Ananias  •''  and  to  him  said  tlie  Lord  in  a  vision, 
Ananias.     And  he  said.  Behold,  I  am  here.  Lord. 

u  And  the  Lord  said  unto  iiim.  Arise,  and  go  into 
the  street  wliich  is  called  Straight,  and  inquire  in  the 
house  of  Judas  for  one  called  Saul,  of  Tarsus  ;  for,  be- 
hold, he  prayeth, 

12  And  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named  Ananias 


coming  in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him,  that  he  might 
receive  his  sight. 

13  Then  Ananiae  answered.  Lord,  I  have  heard  by 
many  of  this  man,"^  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy 
saints  at  Jerusalem : 

14  And  here  he''  hath  authority  from  the  chief  priests 
to  bind  all  that  call  °  on  thy  name. 


1  Tim.  1  :  13 ....  d  verse  21  ....  e  1  Cor.  1 :  2  ;  2  Tim.  2  :  22. 


of  the  change.  He  has  heretofore  done  accord- 
ing to  his  own  will  (ch.  26 : 9) ;  he  now  avows  a  su- 
preme allegiance  to  Christ's  will  (ch.  22:10).  (4.) 
The  test  of  that  allegiance  :  obedience.  He  goes 
to  Damascus,  receives  his  instructions  from  a 
Christian  disciple,  preaches  in  the  city  where  he 
came  to  persecute,  accepts  the  service,  of  all 
most  repellent  to  a  Pharisee,  the  mission  to  the 
Gentiles,  and  after  one  remonstrance  at  Jerusa- 
lem (ch.  22 :  18-21),  devotes  himself  unreservedly  to 
it.  Observe  further,  that  this  conversion  in- 
volved in  Saul  a  change  of  creed:  from  believing 
that  he  ought  to  do  things  against  the  name  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  (ch.  26 : 9),  he  became  a  worship- 
per (ver.  11)  and  a  believer  in  and  preacher  of  his 
divinity  (vers.  20, 22) ;  a  change  of  moral  purpose  : 
from  being  a  persecutor  of  Christ,  he  became  a 
missionary  of  the  cross ;  a  change  of  allegiajice  : 
from  doing  what  he  thought  in  himself  he  ought 
to  do,  he  became  a  devoted  servant  of  Christ  (ch. 
26 :  9, note;  Rom.  1 : 1, etc.),  praying  without  ccasiug, 
Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  a  change 
of  spirit :  from  being  exceeding  mad  against  the 
disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  (ch.  26 :  ii),  he  became  the 
chief  exponent  and  apostle  of  love,  patience 
and  long- suffering.  See  epistles  throughout. 
On  his  character  before  his  conversion,  see  ch. 
26  :  10,  11,  note.  Its  key-note  then  was  pride, 
henceforth  it  is  love.    See  1  Cor.,  ch,  13. 

10,  11.  Named  Ananias.  He  wasa  Jew,  "a 
devout  man  according  to  the  law,  having  a  good 
reputation  of  all  the  Jews  which  dwelt  there  "  (ch. 
22 :  12).  Nothing  is  known  of  his  history,  except 
what  is  mentioned  here  and  there,  except  the 
tradition  that  he  was  subsequently  bishop  of  Da- 
mascus.— In  a  vision.  By  vision  in  the  Bible  is 
generally  meant  an  experience  in  which  the  per- 
son retains  his  consciousness,  in  which  respect  it 
diifers  from  a  trance,  and  the  object  shown  to 
him  possesses  a  real  existence,  in  which  respect 
it  differs  from  a  dream.  Thus  the  Transfigura- 
tion is  spoken  of  as  a  vision  (Matt,  n  :  9) ;  so  the 
appearance  to  Zacharias  in  the  Temple  (Luiie  1 :  22), 
of  the  angel  to  Cornelius  (ch  10 : 3),  and  to  Peter 
(ch.  10 :  n),  though  in  the  latter  case  Peter  was  in  a 
trance  (ver.  10).  For  other  illustrations  of  Biblical 
visions,  see  1  Sam.  3  :  15 ;  Dan.  2: 19;  7:2;8:1; 
Acts  16  :  9 ;  18  :  9 ;  26  :  19.— The  street  that  is 
called  Straight.  This  was  the  main  thorough- 
fare of  Damascus,  being  in  a  direct  line  from  the 
eastern  to  the  western  gate.    In  the  apostolic 


age  it  was  a  hundred  feet  wide,  and  divided  by 
Corinthian  colonnades  into  three  avenues — the 
central  and  broadest  for  carriages  and  eques- 
trians, and  the  two  side  pavements  for  foot  pas- 
sengers. At  each  end  of  the  street  were  the  city 
gates  divided  into  three  compartments  corres- 
ponding to  the  roadways,  while  midway  between 
them  was  a  Roman  triumphal  arch.  Remains  of 
the  gates  and  the  colonnades  are  still  to  be  seen. 
At  present  the  street,  now  known  as  Sultany  or 
Queen  street,  has  been  contracted  by  successive 
encroachments  to  one  narrow  passage — a  mere 
by-lane.  Near  the  west  gate  is  shown  the  tradi- 
tional house  of  Judas,  and  near  the  eastern  gate 
that  of  Ananias,  both  of  them  in  grottos. — Of 
one  Jadas.  Nothing  more  is  known  of  him  ; 
it  is  hardly  probable  that  he  was  a  Christian. 
The  surmise  of  Dr.  Wolcott,  that  he  kept  a  pub- 
lic'-house,  in  which  case  he  must  probably  be 
known  at  least  by  reputation  to  Ananias,  is  rea- 
sonable.— Of  Tarsus.  See  note  on  ver.  30. — 
Behold,  he  is  praying.  As  a  Pharisee, 
"  touching  the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law 
blameless"  (pui.  3:6),  he  must  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  pray  before  (Matt.  6:6;  23 :  14),  but  the 
implication  of  the  language  here  certainly  is,  that 
he  now  for  the  first  time  humbly  solicited  divine 
grace  and  guidance.  "He  prayeth"  is  always 
an  indication,  if  not  a  demonstration,  of  the  gen- 
uineness of  conversion. 

13-14.  In  a  vision.  Tischendorf  and  Al- 
ford  omit  these  words,  which  were  probably 
added  by  a  copyist  to  explain  the  meaning  of 
the  original ;  the  explanation  is  probably  cor- 
rect.— A  man  named  Ananias.  That  is,  in 
his  vision,  Saul  had  both  seen  the  man  and  known 
his  name. — And  putting  his  hand  on  him. 
See  ch.  8  :  17,  note.  Here  the  laying  on  of  hands 
was  to  be  accompanied  by  a  miraculous  evidence 
of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  restoration 
of  Saul's  sight  (ch.  6  :  6,  note). — Anauias  an- 
swered. If  we  suppose  that  the  Lord  visibly 
appeared  to  Ananias,  it  is  difficult  to  reconcile 
this  answer  with  the  spirit  of  reverence  and 
allegiance  to  Christ.  The  impulse  may  have 
been  so  communicated  as  to  leave  Ananias  in 
some  doubt  at  first  respecting  its  divine  origin 
and  authority. — To  thy  saints.  This  is  the 
first  time  in  the  N.  T.  that  this  title  is  applied  to 
the  disciples  of  Christ ;  but  it  is  the  appellation 
commonly  used  by  Paul  in  designating  them.    It 


114 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


15  But  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  thy  way:  for'  he 
is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name  before  s 
the  Gentiles,  and  kings,""  and  the'  children  of  Israel: 

16  For  1  will  shew  him  how  great  things  he  must 
suffer  J  for  my  name's  sake. 

17  And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and  entered  into  the 
house ;  and  putting  "^  his  hands  on  him,  said,  Brother 


Saul,  the  Lord,  even  Jesus,  that  appeared  unto  thee  in 
the  way  as  thou  camest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  might- 
est  receive  thy  sight,  and'  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

18  And  immediately  there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had 
been  scales  ;  and  he  received  sight  forthwith,  and  arose, 
and  was  baptized. 


f  ch.  13  :  2;  Rom.  1  :  1;  I  Cor.  15  :  10  ;  Gal.  1  :  15;  Ephes.  3  :  7,8....g  Rom.  U  :  13 ;  Gal.  2  :  7,  8....h  ch.  25:  23,  etc.... 1  ch.  28  :  17,  etc 

j  ch.  20:  23;  2  Cor.  11  :  23-27;  2  Tim.  1  :  11,  12. . .  .k  ch.  8  :  17. . .  .k  ch.  2  :  4. 


is  literally  holy  ones,  and  is  applied  to  things  or 
persons  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God  ;  hence 
to  disciples  of  Christ  who  are  set  apart  as  priests 

to   his  service   (Rom.  l  :  7  ;  l  Cor.  1:2;  Ephes.  1  :  4). — All 

that  call  on  thy  name.  This  language  clearly 
implies  that  the  speaker  was  Jesus  Christ,  and 
as  clearly  that  it  was  the  custom  of  Christians  in 
the  apostolic  church  to  pray  to  Christ  (see  ch.  2 :  21 ; 

7:69;   9:21;    22:16;    1  Cor.  1  :  2 ;    2  Tim.  2  :  22).      That    the 

fame  of  Saul's  mission  was  noised  abroad  is  evi- 
dent from  vers.  21,  26,  ch.  23  :  19. 

15,  16.  But  the  Lord  said  nnto  him, 
Go.  The  words,  thy  way,  are  added  by  the 
translators,  and  weaken  the  force  of  the  original. 
— For  he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me.  Not, 
as  Adam  Clark,  a  choice  or  excellent  instrument, 
the  original  does  not  bear  that  signification,  but 
a  selected  instrument,  i.  e.,  selected  by  God,  and 
for  the  purpose  indicated  in  the  remainder  of 
the  sentence.  Whether  the  reader  considers  that 
Saul  was  selected  because  of  his  character,  edu- 
cation, and  natural  attainments,  or  that  these 
were  conferred  upon  him  because  God  had  chosen 
him  for  the  work,  will  depend  upon  the  reader's 
conception  of  the  divine  government.  To  the 
call  or  choice  here  indicated  Paul  often  refers 
(Rom.  1 : 1 ;  1  Cor.  1:1;  Gal.  1  : 1,  etc.).  The  term  ren- 
dered vessel  is  a  general  one,  signifying  any  kind 
of  implement. — To  bear  my  name.  This  de- 
fines the  object  for  which  Saul  was  chosen,  and 
the  verse,  taken  as  a  whole,  indicates  rather  that 
every  Christian's  work  is  allotted  to  him  by  God, 
than  that  he  is  chosen  by  God  to  be  a  special 
Bubject  of  redeeming  grace.  To  hear  my  name  is 
here  to  carry  it  as  on  a  banner. — Before  the 
Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of 
Israel.  This  commission  was  repeated  subse- 
quently in  Jerusalem  (ch.  22 :  21),  and  fulfilled,  as 
regards  the  Gentiles  and  Israelites,  by  Paul's 
whole  missionary  life,  and  as  regards  kings  by 
his  appearance  before  Agrippa  (ch.  26),  and  prob- 
ably before  Nero. — And  I  will  shew  him 
how  great  things  he  must  suffer.  In  ful- 
fillment of  this,  see  ch.  20  :  23,  25 ;  21  :  11.  As 
illustrating  the  sufferings  endured  by  Paul  for 
Christ,  see  1  Cor.  4  :  9-13 ;  2  Cor.  11  :  23-28. 

17,  18.  Putting  his  hands  on  him.  On 
the  laying  on  of  hands,  see  ch.  8  :  17,  note.  Here 
evidently  not  an  ordination  to  the  ministry,  but 
a  symbol,  in  connection  with  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  was   conferred   and   the  sight  restored. 


That  this  was  the  object  of  the  laying  on  of 
hands  is  clearly  stated  in  ver.  12. — Brother 
Saul.  The  term  brother  seems  to  have  been 
commonly  used  among  the  Jews  in  address,  the 
kinship  of  nationality  and  religion  binding  all 
members  of  the  race  together  as  in  one  family 
(ch.  2 :  29, 37 ;  3 :  n).  It  was  thcuce  transferred  to  the 
Christian  church,  and  became  a  common  appel- 
lation of  Christians  in  their  conversation  with 
each  other.  Its  use  here  shows  how  fully  and 
heartily  Ananias  had  accepted  the  revelation  and 
commission  from  God. — And  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  not  in  the  commis- 
sion given  to  Ananias  as  reported  (vers.  12, 15,  ib).  It 
illustrates  the  truth,  which  the  student  of  Scrip- 
ture should  ever  bear  in  mind,  that  the  Bible  re- 
ports are  rarely  if  ever  verbatim.  It  is  impossible 
to  suppose  that  Ananias  added  this  himself  to 
the  commission  given  him.  Comp.  with  the  lan- 
guage here  that  of  ch.  26  :  16-18,  which  probably 
embodied  the  message  of  Ananias  here  together 
with  the  commission  later  given  to  Saul  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  observe  the  verbal  differences. — 
There  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been 
scales.  Not  actual  scales,  but  something  re- 
sembUng  them.  Dr.  Buck,  of  New  York,  in  a 
private  letter  in  answer  to  a  request  for  infor- 
mation, says  that  "The  ophthalmia,  so  common 
in  the  East,  and  which  occasions  blindness  by 
producing  opacity  of  the  cornea,  presents  a 
grayish  white  spot,  occupying  the  centre  and 
spreading  toward  the  circumference,  thus  shut- 
ting out  the  entrance  of  light  through  the  pupil 
into  the  interior  of  the  eye.  This  opaque  spot 
might  readily  suggest  to  the  popular  observer 
the  idea  of  the  presence  of  a  scale  in  the  eye, 
and  give  rise  to  the  idea  that  the  restoration  of 
sight  was  effected  by  the  falling  of  something 
resembling  a  scale." — Arose  and  was  bap- 
tized. Observe  that  apparently  here,  and  cer- 
tainly in  the  case  of  the  eunuch  (ch.  8 :  38),  this 
ordinance  was  administered  privately,  and  not 
in  connection  with  any  church,  nor  as  a  rite  of 
admission  to  any  specific  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion. Observe,  too,  that  it  was  administered,  an 
indication  that  it  had  already  been  accepted  by 
the  church  as  the  divinely-appointed  symbol  of 
conversion  and  a  new  life.  Clearly  in  this  case 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  imparted  before  baptism, 
and  was  the  ground  on  which  baptism  was  ad- 
ministered, as  in  the  case  of  Cornelius  and  his 


Oh.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


115 


19  And  when  he  had  received  meat,  he  was  strength- 
ened. Then  was  Saul  certain  days  with  the  disciples 
which  were  at  Damascus.™ 

20  And  straightway  he  preached  Christ  in  the  syna- 
gogues, that  he  is  the  Son  of  God. 

21  But  all  that  heard  hint^  were  amazed,  and  said, 
Is  not  this  he  "that  destroyed  them  which  called  on 
this  name  in  Jerusalem,  and  came  hither  for  that  in- 
tent, that  he  might  bring  them  bound  unto  the  chief 
priests  ? 

22  But  Saul  increased  the  more  in  strength,?  and  con- 


founded the  1  Jews  which  dwelt  at  Damascus,  proving 
that  this  is  very  Christ. 

23  And  after  that  many  days  were  fulfilled,  the  Jews 
took  counsel''  to  kill  him. 

24  But  their  laying  await  was  known  of  Saul.  And 
they  watched'  the  gates  day  and  night,  to  kill  him. 

25  Then  the  disciples  took  him  by  night,  and  let '  him 
down  by  the  wall,  m  a  basket. 

26  And  when  Saul  was  come"  to  Jerusalem,  he  as- 
sayed to  join  himself  to  the  disciples :  but  they  were  all 
afraid  of  him,  and  believed  not  that  he  was  a  disciple. 


m  ch.  26:20;   Gal.  1  :  n....n  Gal.  1  :  13,  23.... o  ch.  8  :  3..  ..p  Ps.  84  :  7....q  ch.  18  :28...  r  ch.  23  :  12:  26  :  3....8  2  Cor.  II  :  26,  ete. : 
P8.21  :  11;  37:32,  33.... t  Josh.  2  :  16.... u  Gal.  1  :  18. 


companions  (ch.  lo  :  47).  The  question  has  been 
raised,  Where  was  Saul  converted — on  the  road, 
or  at  the  visit  of  Ananias?  It  cannot  be  an- 
swered. Even  in  Saul's  case  the  day  and  hour 
of  the  radical  change  cannot  be  fixed.  But  be- 
ware of  assuming  that  he  had  not  been  subject 
to  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  prior  to  the 
visit  of  Ananias,  or  even  prior  to  the  appearance 
of  the  Lord  to  him  on  the  road.  The  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  Ananias  came  to  bring,  was 
such  a  bestowal  as  would  be  accompanied  with 
an  external  and  miraculous  sign,  here  the  resto- 
ration of  Saul's  sight.     See  ch.  8  :  17,  note. 

19,  20.  And  when  he  had  received 
meat,  he  was  strengthened.  The  implica- 
tion is  that  the  fasting  mentioned  in  ver.  9  had 
been  so  severe  as  to  weaken  him  bodily. — Cer- 
tain days.  Not  many.  See  next  verse. — And 
straightway.  Immediately.  This  word  seems 
to  me  quite  inconsistent  with  the  theory  of  those 
who  place  the  visit  to  Arabia,  mentioned  in  Gal. 
1  :  17,  between  Saul's  conversion  and  his  public 
preaching ;  and,  what  is  more  important,  it 
is  irreconcilable  with  Wordsworth's  practical 
deduction :  "  Perhaps  this  retirement  of  Paul 
(into  Arabia)  after  his  conversion  was  designed  to 
be  exemplary  and  instructive,  as  intimating  that 
new  converts  ought  not  to  be  admitted  to  exer- 
cise the  functions  of  the  ministerial  office,  with- 
out some  probationary  term  of  silence,  after 
their  conversion."  On  the  contrary,  the  '■'■imme- 
diately'''' here  implies,  so  far  as  Saul's  career  is 
an  example  to  be  followed,  that  when  the  con- 
vert has  had,  as  Paul,  previous  education  that 
fits  him  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  should 
begin  at  once  to  proclaim  to  others  the  Gospel 

which  he  has  found  himself  (comp.  John  1  :  41,  45  ;  Mark 

6 :  19). — Jesus  in  the  synagogues.  Being  edu- 
cated as  a  Jewish  Rabbi,  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
securing  an  audience  in  the  synagogues.  On 
their  form  of  semce,  see  Matt.  4  :  23.  The  best 
manuscripts  have  here  Jesus  instead  of  Christ. 
And  the  difference  is  not  merely  verbal.  What 
Saul  preached  was,  not  the  doctrine  that  the 
Jewish  Messiah  was  the  Son  of  God,  but  the 
fact  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  Son  of  God, 
and   the   long  -  promised    Messiah,    "the    very 

Christ"  (ver.  22). 


22.  But  Saul  increased  the  more  in 
strength.  In  all  the  elements  of  moral  and 
spiritual  strength — the  ardor  of  his  convictions, 
the  resolution  of  his  purpose,  the  clearness  of  his 
apprehension  of  the  new  interpretation  of  the 
O.  T.,  and  the  peculiar  and  indefinable  strength 
that  comes  from  singleness  of  purpose  and  com- 
munion with  God.  For  his  own  interpretation 
of  this  phrase,  see  Ephes.  3  :  16-19. — Confound- 
ed the  Jews.  Threw  them  into  confusion  and 
perplexity.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate  that 
this  his  first  preaching  was  successful,  except  in 
compelling  the  Jews  to  consider  the  claims  of 
Jesus,  to  which  before  they  had  probably  paid 
little,  if  any,  heed.— Many  days  were  ful- 
filled. There  is  nothing  to  indicate  how  many. 
— Took  counsel  to  kill  him.  Not  after  trial ; 
for  the  synagogue  courts  of  Damascus  had  no 
right,  under  Jewish  law,  to  inflict  the  death  sen- 
tence. That  could  only  be  done  by  the  Sanhe- 
drim at  Jerusalem.  A  conspiracy  to  assassinate 
is  indicated. 

24,  25.  Let  him  down  by  the  wall  in 
a  basket.  Paul's  more  accurate  description 
in  3  Cor.  11  :  33,  indicates  the  kind  of  basket 
((Ta^yair;),  viz.,  one  made  of  rope  woven  together. 
He  also  tells  us  that  he  was  let  down  through  a  irin- 
dow.  These  lattice-windows  of  the  East  are  built 
like  a  modem  bay-window,  overlooking  the  street, 
and  in  some  instances,  where  the  house  is  built 
directly  in  the  city  wall,  they  extend  beyond  and 
over  the  wall,  as  in  the  annexed  illustration,  and 
look  out  upon  the  country  beyond.  Through 
one  of  these  windows  Saul  made  his  escape,  while 
the  Jews  were  watching  the  gates  which  were 
customarily  closed  at  night,  and  through  which 
no  one  could  pass  without  liabUity  to  scrutiny 
from  the  guard.  The  implication  here,  and  still 
more  in  Corinthians,  is,  that  the  guard  were 
directed  to  seize  him  if  he  attempted  to  make  his 
escape. 

Two  somewhat  difficult  questions  in  chronol- 
ogy are  connected  with  this  account.  I,  In  Gal. 
1  :  17,  Paul,  giving  an  account  of  his  personal 
experiences  at  this  time,  says,  "  Neither  went  I  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  them  which  were  apostles  before 
me  :  but  I  went  into  Arabia,  and  returned  again 
unto  Damascus.    Then  after  three  years  I  went 


116 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


up  to  Jerusalem."  Luke  Bays  nothing  of  this 
visit  to  Arabia.  When  did  it  occur  ?  Some  com- 
mentators place  it  immediately  after  the  restora- 
tion of  Saul's  sight,  and  before  he  commenced 
preaching,  which  seems  to  me  inconsistent  with 
the  language  of  ver.  20,  ^'■Straightway  he  preached 
Jesus  in  the  synagogues  ;  "  others  place  it  dur- 
ing the  period  when  he  "increased  in  strength" 
(ver.  22) ;  others  again  during  the  "  many  days  " 
mentioned  in  ver.  23 ;  and  still  others  in  the  inter- 
val between  vers.  25  and  2t>,  i.  e.,  after  the  at- 
tempted assassination.  The  truth  appears  to  be 
that  we  have  no  adequate  data  from  which  to 
determine  the  question,    Luke  does  not  mention 


WINDOWS   ON   THE   WALL — DAMASCUS. 

the  visit  to  Arabia,  either  because  he  did  not  know 
of  it,  or  because  it  did  not  come  within  his  scope, 
his  object  being  not  to  write  a  biography  of  Paul, 
but  to  narrate  his  conversion  and  entrance  into 
the  ministry.  Arabia  is  a  very  general  term,  indi- 
cating then,  as  now,  a  large  area  of  country,  and 
there  is  nothing  to  fix  the  time  or  place  of  his 
sojourn,  and  little  to  determine  its  object,  though 
the  context  in  Galatians  indicates  retirement  for 
prayer  and  the  study  of  God's  word,  rather  than 
for  the  active  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  See  notes 
on  Gal.  1 :  16-18.  II.  In  2  Cor.  11  :  33,  33,  Paul, 
in  referring  to  his  escape  from  Damascus,  says, 
"  The  governor  under  Aretas  the  king  kept  the 
city  of  the  Damascenes."     Aretas  was  king  of 


Petra ;  Damascus  was  a  Roman  city.  How,  then, 
should  the  governor  under  Aretas  have  control  of 
affairs  in  Damascus  ?  There  are  no  adequate  ma- 
terials to  answer  this  question,  except  hypotheti- 
cally ;  but  certain  weU-known  facts  in  history 
indicate  the  probable  answer.  War  broke  out 
about  A.  D.  32  between  Herod  Antipas  and  this 

King    Aretas    (see  for  explanation  of  this  war,  Matt.  14  :  1-12, 

notes),  in  which  Herod  was  signally  defeated.  On 
this,  ViteUius,  Roman  governor  of  Syria,  was 
dispatched  by  Tiberius,  the  Roman  emperor,  to 
march  against  Aretas ;  but  while  he  was  on  his 
way,  Tiberius  died  and  was  succeeded  by  Cali- 
gula. The  new  emperor,  who  was  a  personal  foe 
to  Herod,  soon  after  banished  him  to  Lyons,  made 
anew  distribution  of  the  provinces  of  the  East,  giv- 
ing Herod's  kingdom  to  Agrippa.  That,  in  these 
changes,  Damascus  passed  under  the  authority 
of  King  Aretas,  is  a  reasonable  surmise,  and  it  is 
confirmed  by  the  fact  that  while  coins  of  Damas- 
cus are  found  with  the  heads  of  Augustus,  Tibe- 
rius, and  Nero,  none  are  found  with  those  of 
Caligula  and  Claudius,  an  indication  that  during 
their  reigns,  Damascus  was  not  under  Roman 
law.  Aretas  probably  continued  the  Roman 
edicts,  already  referred  to,  so  that  the  Jewish 
population  were  allowed  not  only  the  free  exer- 
cise of  their  religion,  but  also  to  govern  them- 
selves, and  punish  offenders  against  their  own 
laws.  The  governor  referred  to  in  Corinthians 
was  probably  the  Jewish  governor,  i.  e.,  the 
chosen  head  of  the  Jewish  population. 

26,  27.  And  when  Saul  was  come  to 
Jerusalem.  His  object  was  to  visit  Peter ;  why 
him  more  than  any  of  the  other  discij^les  can  only 
be  surmised.  Perhaps  he  had  heard  of  Peter's 
mission  to  the  Gentiles,  recounted  in  the  next 
chapter,  and  so  was  drawn  to  him  for  conference 
and  counsel.  He  also  wanted  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  Jerusalem,  believing  that  his  previous  course 
there,  and  the  Jewish  acquaintance  with  him,  as 
a  persecutor  of  the  Christian  church,  would  en- 
sure him  a  hearing  (ch.  22 :  19, 20).  In  this  he  was 
disappointed  (ver.  29).  Three  years  had  elapsed 
since  his  conversion,  spent  in  Damascus  and  Ara- 
bia (Gal.  1 :  is),  but  uot  uecessarily  three  whole 
years.  The  expression  in  Galatians  would  be 
satisfied,  according  to  Jewish  reckoning,  by  one 
year  and  parts  of  two  others.  Saul,  during  this 
visit  to  Jerusalem,  abode  with  Peter ;  it  lasted 
fifteen  days  (oai.  1 :  is) ;  then,  partly  owing  to 
direct  instructions  from  the  Lord  in  a  vision  (ch. 
22 :  IS,  21),  and  partly  owing  to  the  danger  to  his 
life  (ver.  29),  he  retired  to  Tarsus,  his  native  city. 
—They  were  all  afraid  of  him.  Believing 
the  story  of  his  conversion,  which  may  have 
reached  them,  to  be  false,  and  that  he  was  hypo- 
critically endeavoring  to  unite  himself  to  them, 
for  the  purpose  of  more  efEectually  spying  out 
and  bringing  to  punishment  their  chief  men. — 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


119 


27  But  Barnabas'  took  him,  and  brought  hint  to  the 
apostles,  and  declared  unto  them  how  he  had  seen  the 
Lord  in  the  way,  and  tliat  he  had  spoken  to  him,  and 
how  he  had  preached  boldly"  at  Damascus  in  the 
name  of  Jesus. 

28  And  he  was  with  them  coming  in  and  going  out 
at  Jerusalem. 

29  And  he  spake  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Je- 


sus, and  disputed  against  the  Grecians:  but*  they 
went  about  to  slay  him. 

30  Which  when  the  brethren  knew,  they  brought 
him  down  to  Csesarea,  and  sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus. 

31  Theny  had  the  churches  rest^  throughout  all  Ju- 
daea and  Galilee  and  Samaria,  and  were  edified  •,"  and 
walking''  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort* 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  multiplied.'' 


T  ch.  4  :  36 w  v«r«.  20-22 x  verso  23.... y  ch.  8  :  1  ;    Zech.  9  : 

c  John  14:  16,  17. 


;:  11;   Col.  1  :  10. 


But  Barnabas  took  him.    Barnabas  was  a 

native  of  Cyprus  (ch.  4 :  36),  itself  only  a  few  hours 
Bail  from  Cilicia,  and  the  schools  for  which  Tar- 
sus (see  below)  was  faoious  may  well  have  fur- 
nished Barnabas  with  a  part  of  his  education. 
It  is  therefore  not  improbable  that  Barnabas  and 
Saul  may  have  known  each  other  in  youth. — 
How  he  hath  seen  the  Lord.  Observe,  not 
merely  heard  him.  Comp.  ver.  5,  note  and  refs, 
— And  how  in  Damascus  he  had  been  out- 
spoken in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Including  his 
preaching,  but  not  that  alone.  The  emphasis  of 
the  original  (Tro^^jjff^aCo.uaO  is  not  on  the  public 
preaching,  but  on  the  open  and  public  avowal  of 
his  faith. 

28-30.  And  he  was  Avith  them.  Of  the 
apostles  he  saw  at  this  time  only  Peter  and 
James,  the  Lord's  brother  (oai.  1 :  is,  19).  Perhaps 
the  others  were  absent  from  the  city.  On  his  sec- 
ond visit  he  saw  John  (oai.  2 : 9).  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  saw  any  others  of  the  twelve. — 
Coming  in  and  going  out.  A  phrase  signifi- 
cant of  the  closeness  of  his  intimacy  with  them. 
See  ch.  1  :  21. — And  disputed  against  the 
Grecians.  That  is,  in  the  synagogues  of  the 
Grecians  in  Jerusalem.  It  had  been  in  these 
synagogues  that  Stephen  had  preached  the  Gos- 
pel ;  here  he  had  argued,  presumptively  with 
Saul  among  others ;  and  to  these  synagogues 
where  Saul  had  reviled  the  name  of  Jesus,  he 
now  returned  to  honor  it. — They  took  it  in 
hand  (i.'rf/ei^fw)  to  slay  him.  Either  by 
Becret  assassination,  as  in  ch.  23  :  12,  or  by  mob 
violence,  as  in  ch.  21  :  31. — Which,  when  the 
brethren  knew.  There  is  no  inconsistency 
between  this  account  and  that  in  ch.  32  :  17-21, 
which  attributes  Paul's  departure  from  Jerusa- 
lem to  a  direct  commission  from  God  bidding  him 
depart  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles. 
The  providence  and  the  word  of  God  always 
agree ;  Luke  speaks  of  the  providence,  Paul  of 
the  revealed  word. — Csesarea.  Caesarea  Pales- 
tina  on  the  Mediterranean  coast.     See  ch.  8  :  40. 

Sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus.  Probably  by 
ship.  Paul's  language  in  Gal.  1  :  21  is  :  "  After- 
wardl  came  into  the  regions  of  Syria  and  Cilicia." 
This  corresponds  with  the  account  in  Acts.  From 
Tarsus,  the  capital  of  Cilicia,  Saul,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  Barnabas,  went  to  Antioch  and  preached 
there  (ch.  12 :  25, 26).  Tarsus  (the  word  means  wing)^ 


in  Cilicia,  chief  town  of  the  province,  is  princi- 
pally illustrious  as  having  been  the  birthplace  of 
Paul,  although  it  "was  no  mean  city."  It  must 
have  been  of  great  extent,  since  the  river  Cyd- 
nus,  a  remarkably  cold  and  swift  stream,  which 
then  flowed  directly  through  the  city,  dividing 
it  in  two  wings,  thus  accounting  for  its  name,  is 
now  more  than  a  mile  away,  and  recently-dis- 
covered ruins  show  that  it  is  the  city  which  has 
shrunken  and  not  the  river  which  has  changed 
its  course.  It  was  a  free  city,  i.  e.,  though  under 
Roman  rule,  it  made  its  own  laws  and  chose  its 
magistrates.  This  freedom  did  not  confer  the 
right  of  citizenship ;  and  though  Tarsus  subse- 
quently became  a  colony,  and  so  was  entitled  to 
that  right,  it  was  not  untU  after  the  time  of 
Paul.  In  matters  of  education  and  learning  it 
was  the  rival  of  Athens  and  Alexandria,  and 
many  famous  men  were  educated  there.  It  was 
also  important  commercially.  The  broad  mouth 
of  the  river  was  artificially  widened  and  docks 
constructed.  After  having  been  called  by  sev- 
eral different  names,  the  place  is  now  called 
Tersors,  and  contains  some  30,000  inhabitants. 
It  is  no  longer  a  place  of  wealth  and  learning, 
but  a  den  of  poverty,  filth,  and  ruins.  There  is 
some  reason  to  believe  that  Saul  preached  the 
Gospel  effectually  at  the  time  of  this  visit,  and 
that  it  was  during  this  ministry  that  there  were 
gathered  into  the  Christian  church  some  of  those 
Christian  kinsmen  whom  he  mentions  in  Rom. 
16  :  7,  11,  21. 

31.  Then  had  the  churches  rest.  The 
best  manuscripts  have  here  the  church  in  the 
singular ;  the  difference  is  important  only  in  its 
bearing  on  the  question  whether  the  Christian 
churches  were  united  at  this  early  period  of 
their  history  in  one  ecclesiastical  organization, 
or  were  independent  of  each  other.  Two  causes 
combined  in  producing  this  rest :  the  conversion 
of  Saul,  who  had  chiefly  instigated  the  persecu- 
tion against  the  Christians  (ch.  8 : 3,  4),  and  the 
fact  that  Caligula  demanded  that  his  statue 
should  be  set  up  in  the  temple,  and  be  received, 
as  elsewhere  in  the  Roman  empire,  as  a  god.  The 
excitement  produced  by  the  opposition  to  this 
demand  distracted  the  attention  of  the  Jews  from 
the  Christians  (josephus'  Am.,  13 :  s,  2-9). — Through- 
out all  Judea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria. 
This  is  the  only  distinct  reference  in  the  N,  T.  to 


120 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


32  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Peter  passed  throughout 
all  quarters^  he  came  down  also  to  the  saints  which 
dwelt  at  Lydda. 

53  And  there  he  found  a  certain  man  named  ^neas, 
which  had  kept  his  bed  eight  years,  and  was  sick  of 
the  palsy. 


34  And  Peter  said  unto  him,  .lEneas,  Jesus  Christ 
maketh'thee  whole;  arise,  and  make  thy  bed.  And 
he  arose  immediately. 

35  And  all  that  dwelt  at  Lydda  and '  Saron  saw  him, 
and  turned  s  to  the  Lord. 


e  ch.  3  :  6,  16  ;  4  :  10 .  . . .  f  1  Chron.  S  ;  16 .    . .  g  ch.  11  :  21 ;  2  Cor.  3  :  16. 


Christian  churches  in  Galilee.  —  Being  built 
up  and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

There  should  be  no  stop  after  edified,  which  in 
the  original  is  a  participle.  Both  the  upbuilding 
and  the  walking  were  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord ; 
the  former  expression  refers  not  to  increase  in 
numbers,  but  in  spiritual  life.  Comp.  1  Cor.  8:1; 
14  :  4;  1  Thess.  5  :  11,  etc.  — The  fear  of  the 
Lord;  that  godly  fear  which  leads  to  obedi- 
ence   of   his   commandments   (Dent.  6  :  29 ;   6:2;  Josh. 

24  :  14),  and  accompanies  trust  and  praise  (2  Kings 

17  :  36,  39  ;  Psalm  22  :  33 :  96  :  4 ;   115:11;  Prov.  14  :  26)  ;     it    iS 

nearly  equivalent  to  reverence  and  allegiance. — 
And  in   the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Rather  in  his  helpful  presence.  No  one  EngUsh  word 
Ib  adequate  to  render  the  Greek  {naqay.'k^oif')^ 
which  is  derived  from  a  verb  meaning  to  call  to 


one's  help. — Were  multiplied.  This  may  mean 
either  that  the  numbers  of  the  churches  or  of 
the  converts  were  multiplied,  probably  both. 

Ch.  9  :  32-43.  HEALINtt  OF  ENEAS  AND  RAISING  OF 
DORCAS  BY  PETER.    The  power  of  the  Gospel  and 

THE  POWER  OF  PRAYER  rLLUSTRATED. — CHRISTIAN 
CHARITY  EXEMPLIFIED. 

The  date  of  these  events  is  uncertain.  Peter 
was  at  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  Saul's  visit  (Gai. 
1 :  18).  This  tour  of  Peter's  must,  therefore,  have 
taken  place  prior  or  subsequent  to  that  visit ; 
more  probably  prior.  Luke,  having  given  the 
account  of  Paul's  persecution  of  the  church,  his 
conversion,  and  his  reception  by  the  church  at 
Jerusalem,  goes  back  to  recount  the  other  im- 
portant providences  of  God  which  opened  the 


LYDDA,  WITH  THE  RUINS  OF  THE   CHURCH  OF   ST.    GEORGE. 
(The  tall  minaret  belongs  to  a  mosque.) 


door  to  the  Gentiles.  This  account,  including 
Peter's  visit  to  and  interview  with  Cornelius, 
being  brought  to  an  end  at  ch.  11  :  18,  Luke 
there  resumes  his  interrupted  narrative,  showing 
how  the  persecution  under  Saul  led  to  the 
founding  of  the  church  at  Antioch,  and  Paul's 
ministry  there  preliminary  to  his  first  missionary 
tour  (cb.  11 :  i9-3o).  If  this  view  be  correct,  we  can 
understand  why  Saul,  having  heard  of  Peter's 
mission  to  the  Gentiles,  should  have  been  drawn 
to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to  confer  especially  with 
him. 

33.  Peter  passed  throughout  all.  Not 
all  quarters,  as  in  our  English  version,  but  among 
all  the  churches  referred  to  in  the  previous 
verse.  This  was  not  a  missionary  tour. — To 
the  saints.    Literally  the  holy  ones,  see  ver.  13, 


note. — At  Lydda.    The  Benjamitish  town  Lod 

of   the    O.    T.    (l   Chron.  8  :  12;    Ezra  2  :  33  ;    Neh.  11  :  Ss), 

although  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  territory  of 
the  tribe.  It  was  about  nine  miles  from  Joppa, 
on  the  road  to  Jerusalem.  It  is  mentioned  in 
the  Apocrypha,  and  Josephus  speaks  of  it  as  a 
village  not  inferior  in  size  to  a  city.  The  mira- 
cle wrought  by  Peter  quickened  the  interest  in 
Christianity  here,  a  church  of  some  importance 
sprang  up,  and  it  became  the  seat  of  a  bishopric 
frequently  mentioned  in  ecclesiastical  annals.  It 
was  probably  the  birthplace,  and  certainly  the 
place  of  sepulchre,  of  the  renowned  St.  George. 
At  present  Lydda,  or  Ludd,  is  only  a  considera- 
ble village,  remarkable  for  nothing  but  the  ruins 
of  a  magnificent  church  erected  to  the  honor  of 
St.  George,  and  some  fine  surrounding  gardens 


I 


Ch.  IX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


121 


36  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple  named 
Tabitha,  which  by  interpretation  is  called  Dorcas :  this 
woman  was  full''  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which 
she  did. 


37  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  she  was 
sick,  and  died :  whom,  when  they  had  washed,  they 
laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber. 

38  And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa,  and 


h  1  Tim.  2  :  10 ;  Titus  2  :  7,  U. 


and  orchards.  There  is  no  further  mention  of  it 
in  the  N.  T. 

33-35.     A  certain  man  named  Eneas. 

Nothing  is  known  of  him  except  the  mention 
here ;  his  name  indicates  that  he  was  a  Greeli  or 
a  Grecian  Jew,  and  the  connection  that  he  was 
one  of  the  saints,  i.  e.,  a  Christian  disciple. — 
Sick  of  palsy.  For  desci-iption  of  palsy,  see 
Mark  2  : 3,  note. — Jesus  the  Messiah  healeth 
thee.  Observe  that  Peter  makes  this  healing 
itself  a  proclamation  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah, 
and  heals  in  the  Messiah's  name,  not  in  his  own. 
Comparing  the  N.  T.  with  the  O.  T.,  observe 
that  it  is  Jesus  the  Messiah  "who  forgiveth  all 
thine  iniquities,  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases" 
(psaim  103 : 3). — And  make  thy  bed.  Literally, 
Spread  for  thyself;  the  word  bed  is  not  in  the 


original.  This,  which  others  had  before  done 
for  him,  he  was  now  to  do  for  himself,  as  an  evi- 
dence of  the  thoroughness  of  his  cure  ;  arising 
showed  strength  in  his  lower  limbs ;  spreading 
the  bed  showed  command  of  his  arms  and  hands. 
— All  that  dwelt  in  Lydda  and  Saron  saw 
him.  Not  saw  the  cure,  but  saw  him  after  he 
was  cured,  as  in  ch.  3  :  9,  10,  and  John  9  : 8. 
Saron  was  the  district  in  which  Lydda  stood.  It 
was  a  plain  extending  about  thirty  miles  along 
the  coast  from  Joppa  to  Cassarea.  It  has  been 
conjectured  that  there  was  a  village  of  that 
name,  but  no  trace  of  it  has  been  found.  Luke's 
meaning  is  that  the  inhabitants  not  only  of  Lyd- 
da, but  of  the  plain  generally,  heard  and  believed. 
— And  turned  to  the  Lord,  i.  e.,  to  Jesus 
Christ.     It  is  not  meant  that  literally  all  the 


VIEW   OF   JOPPA,    FKOM    THE   KOUTUEAST. 


inhabitants  were  spiritually  converted  to  Christ, 
but  that  there  was  a  general  and  popular  recog- 
nition of  Jesus  founded  on  this  miracle. 

36.  There  was  at  Joppa.  Joppa  was  an 
ancient  Philistine  city  on  the  borders  of  Dan.  Its 
name  signifies  to  be  beautiful,  to  shine,  and  was 
probably  given  because  of  the  effect  of  the  sun- 
shine reflected  from  its  houses  which  rose,  as 
now,  tier  on  tier,  upon  the  hill  sloping  upward 
from  the  sea.  It  had  a  celebrated  but  not  a  very 
safe  harbor,  and  has  been  since  the  days  of  Solo- 
mon the  port  of  Jerusalem.  Here  were  brought 
the  fir  trees  and  the  cedar  trees  in  the  times  of 
Hkam  and  Zerubbabel.  Here  Jonah  took  ship 
to  flee  from  the  Lord.  It  was  a  prominent  forti- 
fication in  the  war  of  the  Maccabees  and  in  the 
later  conflicts  of  the  Crusades,  when,  for  half  a 
century,  it  was  alternately  built  and  destroyed. 


Judas  Maccabeus,  Antiochus,  Herod,  Cestius, 
Vespasian,  Omar,  Saladin,  Richard,  Godfrey, 
Napoleon,  have  all  in  tuni  laid  siege  to  it,  and  it 
has  at  least  once  been  entirely  effaced.  It  is  now 
called  Jaffa,  and  has  a  population  of  15,000,  a 
large  proportion  of  whom  are  Christians.  Be- 
sides the  beauty  of  the  exterior  of  the  city  itself, 
are  beautiful  environs,  with  fragrant  and  shady 
groves  of  orange,  lemon,  olive,  citron,  mulberry, 
fig  and  palm  trees.  Commerce  seems  now  to  be 
returning  to  Jaffa  with  wonderful  vigor,  and  a 
railroad,  proposed  between  it  and  Jerusalem,  is 
likely  to  greatly  increase  its  importance.  — 
Named  Tabitha.  This  word  is  Aramaic ; 
Dorcas  is  Greek.  She  is  not  again  mentioned 
in  the  N.  T.  The  name  means  gazelle,  which 
was  in  the  East  a  favorite  type  of  beauty.  See 
Solomon's  Song  3  :  9,  17 ;  4  :  5 ;  7  :  3.— Full  of 


122 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  IX. 


the  disciples  had  heard  that  Peter  was  there,  they  sent 
unto  him  two  men,  desiring  him  that  he  would  not 
delay  to  come  to  them. 

39  Then  Feter  aiose,  and  went  with  them.  When 
he  was  come,  they  brought  him  into  the  upper  cham- 
ber :  and  all  the  widows  stood  by  him  weeping,  and 
shewing  the  coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas  made, 
while'  she  was  with  them. 

40  But  Peter  put  J  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled  down, 
and  prayed  ;  and  turning  hitn  to  the  body,  said,  Tabi- 


tha,""  arise.    And  she  opened  her  eyes :  and  when  she 
saw  Peter,  she  sat  up. 

41  And  he  gave  her  his  hand,  and  lifted  her  up,  and 
when  he  had  called  the  saints  and  widows,'  presented 
her  alive. 

42  And  it  was  known  throughout  all  Joppa:  and™ 
many  believed  in  the  Lord. 

43  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  tarried  many  days  in 
Joppa,  with  one  Simon  a  tanner. 


I  Eccles.  9  :  10.  ...j  Matt.  9  :  25 . . . .  k  Marks  :  41,42;  John  11  :  43..  ..1  1  KingB  17  :  23....m  John  12  :  11. 


THE   FOUNTAIN   OF    TABITUA,    NEAR   JOPPA. 

good  works  and  almsdeeds.  Literally,  mer- 
cies. The  first  phrase  is  general,  the  second  spe- 
cific, and  is  interpreted  by  ver.  39. — She  made. 
With  her  own  hands.  She  was  not  merely  the 
almoner  of  others'  charities. 

37-39.  Whom,  when  they  had  washed. 
For  account  of  the  preparation,  according  to 
Jewish  customs,  of  the  body  for  burial,  see  Mark 
16  :  1,  note  ;  John  19  :  39,  40,  note  ;  Acts  5  :  6, 
note. — In  an  upper  chamber.  The  houses  of 
the  poorer  classes  in  the  East  have  but  one  story. 
In  the  best  houses,  the  best  rooms  are  often  on 
the  second  floor.  See  Luke  23  :  12,  note.  Here 
may  be  intended  such  a  second-story  room,  but 
more  probably  a  large,  airy  hall,  not  unf  requently 
constructed  upon  the  roof  of  a  house  and  form- 
ing a  sort  of  third  story.  Here  the  Hebrews  re- 
ceived company,  gave  feasts,  and  sometimes 
held  religious  services.  Dr.  Robinson  {Researches 
3  :  26)  describes  his  reception  in  such  an  upper 
chamber.  A  similar  apartment  is  common  in 
Egypt  and  is  called  the  "Kaah." — Nigh  to 
Joppa.  About  nine  miles  (ver.  36,  note). — They 
sent  unto  him  two  men.  They  desired  his 
sympathy  and  ministry,  and  possibly  having 
heard  of  the  miracle  at  Lydda,  had  some  vague 
hope  of  help. — That  thou  w^ilt  not  delay  to 
come  to  us.  This  is  the  best  reading  and  is 
adopted  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford.  The  varia- 
tion is  important  only  as  the  form  is  a  slight  indi- 


cation that  Luke  was  perhaps  an  eye  and  ear  wit- 
ness of  what  followed. — Stood  by  him  weep- 
ing. Apparently  there  were  no  professional 
mourners  and  none  of  that  ostentation  of  grief 
which  Christ  rebukes  in  Mark  5  :  39.  That  was  a 
•Jewish  household ;  this  is  a  Christian  company. 
— Coats  and  garments.  The  former  is  the 
tunic,  a  loose  shirt  extending  to  the  knees,  the 
latter  a  large,  loose  cloak  worn  by  day  and  used 
as  a  covering  by  night  (Matt,  c :  40 ;  24 :  is,  notes). 

40.  Peter  put  them  all  forth.  In  imita- 
tion of  his  Lord's  example  (Mark  5 :  40).  Perhaps 
as  in  2  Kings  4  :  33,  for  privacy  in  prayer. — And 
kneeled  down.  This  was  a  common  attitude 
of  prayer  among  the  Jews  (Ps.  95 : 6 ;  Dan.  e :  10  j  Luke 
22 :  41 ;  Acts  21 : 5). — Tabitha,  arise.  In  one  respect 
this  miracle  is  peculiar,  in  that  Peter  performs  it 
without  any  reference  to  Christ,  and  as  if  in  his 
own  name  ;  but  if  his  prayer  were  reported,  we 
should  probably  find  this  otherwise  singular 
omission  supplied.  The  narrative  implies  that 
he  prayed  for  the  restoration  of  Dorcas  as  Elijah 

for  the   widow's   son  (l  Kings  n  :  20  ;  comp.  2  Kings  4  :  33) 

and  that  he  received  such  assurance  of  answer 
to  his  prayer  as  justified  his  authoritative  tone. 


AN   ARAB   WIDOW. 

—And  she  opened  her  eyes,  etc.  "Observe 
how  he,  as  it  were,  awakes  her  out  of  sleep  ;  first 
she  opened  her  eyes ;  then,  upon  seeing  Peter, 
she  sat  up ;  then,  from  his  hands  she  received 
strength."— (CArj/sos^om.)  —  The   saints   and 


Ch.  X.] 


THE  ACTS. 


123 


widows.  The  saints  are  her  companions  in 
Christian  faith  and  works ;  the  widows,  those  to 
whom  she  had  ministered.  The  distribution  of 
Christian  charity  inaugurated  at  Jerusalem  (ch. 
«  :  i)  had  been  maintained  in  Joppa  largely 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Dorcas.  The  ac- 
companying illustration  shows  the  Arab  widow 
of  modem  times  in  her  mourning.  She  is  re- 
quired by  custom  to  wear  garments  dyed  purple 
or  dark  brown.  Some  have  an  entire  suit  of  pur- 
ple, with  heavy  crimson  fringe  in  wool.  The 
head-vail  is  of  wool,  two  yards  by  one,  with  fringe 
across  each  end,  and  half  a  yard  along  one  side. 


When  folded  over  the  forehead,  the  extra  fringe 
falls  on  the  neck  behind,  as  here  indicated. 

42,  43,  Many  believed  iu  the  Lord.  Evi- 
dently, then,  the  miracle  was  performed  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  was  so  understood 
throughout  the  community. — Simon  the  tan- 
ner. Only  mentioned  here  and  in  the  following 
chapter.  His  house  was  by  the  seaside  (ch.  ic :  e), 
and  one  is  now  pointed  out  which  Stanley  thinks 
may  occupy  the  original  site.  It  is  close  to  the 
sea-shore  ;  the  waves  beat  against  the  low  walL 
In  the  court-yard  is  a  spring  of  fresh  water,  such 
as  must  always  have  been  needed  for  the  pur- 


TRADITIONAJL  HOUSE   OF   SIMON  THE   TANNER. 


poses  of  tanning.  This  occupation  was  in  ill- 
repute  among  all  ancient  nations,  especially  the 
Jews.  The  latter  considered  entering  into  it 
after  marriage  ground  for  divorce,  and  forbade 
any  tanner  to  become  high-priest  or  king.  Peter's 
selection  of  this  abode  indicates  both  the  slight 
esteem  in  which  the  Christians  were  held  by  the 
Jews  at  Lydda,  and  the  diminished  hold  which 
Judaism  had  upon  the  mind  of  Peter. 


Ch,  10  ;  1-48.  THE  CALL  AND  BAmSM  OF  CORNELIUS. 
The  catholicitt  op  the  Gospel:  the  blood  op 
Jesus  Christ  is  able  to  cleanse  all  sinners  and 
FBOM    ATT.    SIN. — The    characteb   acceptable   to 


God:  piett,  charity,  justice.— Walking  accord- 
ing TO  present  light  the  WAT  TO  GREATER  LIGHT. 

— The  teacher  taught. — The  Gospel  in  brief  (43). 
—Baptism  the  symbol,  and  baptism  the  fact  (47). 
— See  on  verses  34,  35. 

The  date  of  this  incident  is  uncertain.  It  was, 
perhaps,  before  Saul's  conversion ;  more  prob- 
ably just  subsequent;  almost  certainly,  before 
Saul's  visit  to  Jerusalem,  recorded  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter.  See  chap.  9  :  28,  note.  Nearly 
simultaneously  the  Lord  commanded  Saul  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  and  by  a 
divine  revelation  taught  Peter,  and  through 
him  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  that  the  Gospel  is 
for  Gentile  as  well  as  Jew. 


124 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  X. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THERE  was  a  certain  man  in  Csesarea,  called  Corne- 
lius, a  centurion  of  ttie  band  called  tlie  Italian  band, 

2  A  devout  man,''  and  one  tliat  feared"  God  with 
allP  his  house,  whicli  gave  much  alms  toi  the  people, 
and  prayed  f  to  God  alway. 

3  He  saw  in  a  vision  evidently,  about  the  ninth  hour 


of  the  day,  an  angel*  of  God  coming  in  to  him,  and 
saying  unto  him  Cornelius. 

4  And  when  he  looked  on  him,  he  was  afraid,  and 
said.  What  is  it.  Lord  ?    And  he  said  unto  him.  Thy 

Crayers  and  thine  alms  are  come  up  for  a  memorial ' 
eiore  God. 

5  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  one  Si- 
mon, whose  surname  is  Peter : 


..r  Ps.  119  :  2;  Prov.  2:3-6. 


1,2.  In  Csesarea.  For  description  and  illus- 
tration, see  ch.  8  :  40,  note. — A  centurion  of 
the  cohort  called  the  Italian.  The  Roman 
army  was  divided  into  legions,  each  of  which 
was  subdivided  into  ten  cohorts,  each  cohort 
into  three  maniples,  and  each  maniple  into  two 
centuries,  containing  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
men,  under  the  command  of  a  centurion,  who 
thus  answered  to  the  captain  of  the  modern 
army  organization.  The  cohort  to  which  Cor- 
nelius belonged  was  called  the  Italian,  because 
composed  of  men  levied  in  Italy,  not  in  Syria. 
Csesarea  was  the  military  headquarters  of  the 
Roman  government  in-.  Palestine.  —  A  devout 
man  and  one  that  feared  God.  The  pros- 
elytes are  divided  in  the  Rabbinical  books  into 
two  classes,  "  Proselytes  of  the  gate,"  who  ac- 
cepted Jehovah  as  the  true  God,  but  were  not 
circumcised,  and  "proselytes  of  righteousness," 
who  formally  united  themselves  to  the  Jewish 
church  and  accepted  its  whole  ceremonial  ob- 
servance. See  Matt.  23  :  15,  note.  Cornelius 
belonged  to  the  first  class.  That  he  was  not  a 
proselyte  of  righteousness  is  clear  from  ver.  28. 
That  he  worshipped  the  true  God  is  clear  from 
the  language  of  this  verse.  He  knew  something 
of  the  life  of  Jesus  (ver.  st),  but  had  no  clear 
apprehension  of  Christ's  character  or  work. 
Whether  he  was  a  true  regenerate  child  of  God 
before  Peter  came  to  him  has  been  questioned, 
but  chiefly  because  the  supposition  that  he  was 
so  is  inconsistent  with  our  often  too  narrow 
theology.  The  very  object  of  the  narrative  is 
to  teach  Peter,  and  through  him  the  primitive 
church,  the  lesson  which  in  all  ages  the  church 
has  been  slow  to  ■  learn,  that  God  accepts  every 
man,  whatever  his  nationality  or  his  religious 
ignorance,  who  reverences  God,  seeks  further 
light  from  him,  and  does  this  in  the  way  of 
practical  righteousness  (Rom.  2 : 6, 7 ;  Matt,  a :  10, 11, 
note).  See  further  on  ver.  8.5  and  on  ch.  11  :  14. — 
Prayed  to  God  always.  That  is,  his  habit- 
ual devotions  were  offered  to  Jehovah  ;  he  had 
no  sympathy  with  that  spirit  of  Roman  skepti- 
cism, repeated  in  our  own  day,  which  counted 
all  religions  as  equally  commendable. 

3.  He  saw  in  a  vision  evidently.  He 
was  praying  at  the  time.  For  what?  Alford, 
following  Neander,  supposes  that  the  subject  of 
his  prayers  was  that  he  might  be  guided  into 


truth,  and  if  so,  hardly  without  reference  to 
that  faith  which  was  now  spreading  so  widely 
over  Judea.  He  adds:  "Further  than  this  we 
cannot  infer  with  certainty ;  but  if  the  particular 
difficulty  present  in  his  mind  be  sought,  we  can 
hardly  avoid  the  conclusion  that  it  was  con- 
nected with  the  apparent  necessity  of  embracing 
Judaism  and  circumcision  in  order  to  become  a 
believer  in  Christ."  I  should  rather  conclude, 
from  ch.  11  :  14,  that  the  burden  of  his  prayer 
was  the  yearning  desire  for  some  clear  revelation 
of  redemi^tion  from  sin,  and  some  clear  light  in 
respect  to  human  duty  and  the  problem  of  the 
future,  such  as  we  elsewhere  meet  with,  both  in 
the  writings  of  the  best  heathen  philosophers 
and  in  the  accounts  of  missionaries.  For 
Scriptural  illustrations,  see  Job  7  :  21 ;  9  :  33 ; 
23  :  3 ;  31  :  5 ;  Acts  17  :  27.  On  the  nature  of 
visions,  see  on  ch.  2  :  17 ;  9  :  10.  Evide7itly  here 
indicates  that  there  were  some  external  and 
visible  appearances  ;  these  are  more  fully  de- 
scribed in  ver.  30. — About  the  ninth  hour. 
3  p.  M.  This  was  a  regular  Jewish  hour  of  pray- 
er (ch.  3 : 1,  note),  and  the  language  indicates  that 
Cornelius  observed,  at  least  in  part,  the  Jewish 
ritual. — An  angel  of  God.  The  Jews  believed 
that  a  guardian  angel  is  assigned  by  God  to  each 
individual  believer  for  his  especial  protection  and 
spiritual  help.  See  Matt.  18  :  10,  note ;  Acts 
12  :  15,  note  ;  27  :  23  ;  Heb.  1  :  14. 

4.  What  is  it,  Lord  ?  Rather  sire.  The 
language  is  that  of  reverence,  but  not  neces- 
sarily of  worship  (see  in  Matt.  8 :  s). — For  a  memo- 
rial before  God.  Tischendorf  omits  the  words 
for  a  memo7-ial,  but  Alford  retains  them.  The 
meaning  is,  God  has  heard  and  remembered 
them.  See  ver.  31,  and  comp.  Rev.  5  :  8.  The 
fact  that  the  prayers  of  Cornelius  were  heard 
and  answered,  is  of  itself  conclusive  that,  before 
hearing  the  Gospel  from  Peter,  he  was  accepted 
as  a  child  of  God.  See  Ps.  66  :  18 ;  Prov.  28  :  9; 
John  9  :  31. 

5-8.  With  one  Simon  the  tanner.  See 
on  ch.  9  :  43.  He  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest 
to  do  is  omitted  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford,  but 
correctly  interprets  the  object  of  the  mission  to 
Peter.  The  household  servants  were  domestics 
belonging  to  the  household ;  the  soldier,  probably 
a  sentry  belonging  to  the  cohort.  Joppa  was 
about  thirty  miles  south  of  Caesarea.    Observe  in 


Ch.  X.] 


THE  ACTS. 


125 


6  He  lodgeth  with  one  Simon"  a  tanner,  whose 
house  is  by  the  sea  side  :  he  shall  tell  thee''  what  thou 
oughtest  to  do. 

7  And  when  the  angel  which  spake  unto  Cornelius 
was  departed,  he  called  two  of  his  household  servants, 
and  a  devout  soldier  of  them  that  waited  on  him  con- 
tinually ; 

8  And  when  he  had  declared  all  these  things  unto 
them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa. 

9  On  the  morrow,  as  they  went  on  their  journey,  and 
drew  nigh  unto  the  city,  Peter  went"  up  upon  the 
housetop  to  pray,  about  the  sixth  hour: 


10  And  he  became  very  hungry,  and  would  have 
eaten  :  but  while  they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a  trance, 

11  And  saw  ^  heaven  opened,  and  a  certain  vessel 
descending  unto  him,  as  it  had  been  a  great  sheet,  knit 
at  the  four  corners,  and  le:  down  to  the  earth  : 

12  Wherein  were  all  manner  of  four-footed  beasts  of 
the  earth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and 
fowls  of  the  air. 

13  And  there  came  a  voice  to  him,  Rise,  Peter  ;  kill, 
and  eat. 

14  But  Peter  said,  Not  so,  Lord ;  for  I  have  never 
eaten  any  thing  that  is^  common  or  unclean. 


ach.  9  :43 vch.  11  :  14. 


'ch.  11  :  5,etc.  ...xch.  7  :  56;  Rev.  19  :  11 y  Lev.  11  :  2,  etc.;  20  :  25 ;  Dent.  14  :  3,  etc. ;  Ezek.  4  :  14. 


the  act  of  Cornelius  the  evidence  of  his  faith. 
He  sends  a  great  distance,  to  one  apparently 
unknown  to  him,  for  instruction,  declaring  to 
the  messengers  his  object,  thus  confessing  to 
them  his  faith  and  his  hope.  Contrast  his 
humility  with  Naaman's  pride  (2  Kings  5 :  12).  He 
received  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child. 


A  ROMAN    SOLDIER. 

9,  10.  Peter  went  up  upon  the  house- 
top. The  housetop  was  flat,  and  was  used  com- 
monly as  a  resort  for  conversation  (1  Sam.  9 :  26),  for 
sleeping  (2  Sam.  le :  22),  for  exercise  (2  Sam.  11 : 2),  for 
observation  (judges  le :  27 ;  isa.  22 : 1),  for  idolatrous 

worship  (2  Kings  23  :  12 ;  Zeph.  1  :  5),  f  Or  publiC   mOUm- 

ing  (isa.  15 : 3 ;  jer.  48 :  38),  foF  festival  cclebratioDS 
( Neh.  8 :  16),  and  f  or  a  variety  of  domestic  purposes. 
— About  the  sixth  hour.  13  m. — Would 
have  eaten.  Desired  to  eat. — Fell  into  a 
trance.  His  hunger  was  a  preparation  not  for 
the  trance,  but  for  the  vision  which  ensued.  But 
for  his  hunger,  the  direction,  Kill  and  eat,  would 
have  had  less  force.  The  trance  is  mentioned  in 
the  Bible  only  here,  in  ch.  23  :  17,  and  in  Numb. 
34  :  4,  16.  Among  scientific  men  it  is  a  recog- 
nized mental  condition,  in  which  the  mind  loses 
the  consciousness  of  outer  objects,  and  is  borne 


away,  so  to  speak,  into  another  world  of 
thought.  It  differs  from  the  dream  in  that  it  is 
unconnected  with  any  natural  sleep;  and  from 
the  vision,  because  in  the  latter,  the  person 
retains  his  consciousness,  and  the  objects  shown 
to  him  possess  a  real  existence. 

11,  Vi.  And  saw  heaven  opened,  etc. 
In  interpreting  this  language  we  are  to  remem- 
ber that  it  describes  what  was  seen  in  a  trance, 
and,  like  the  ordinary  descriptions  of  a  dream,  is 
incapable  of  exact  interpretation.  The  vessel 
was  not  a  great  sheet,  but  something  like 
a  great  sheet,  let  down  by  the  four  comers 
to  the  earth.  It  contained,  not  all  manner 
of  four-fooled  beasts,  etc.,  a  modification  of  the 
original  unnecessarily  made  by  the  translators, 
but  all  four  footed  beasts,  etc. — i.  e.,  the  impres- 
sion on  Peter's  mind  was  that  of  the  whole  ani- 
mal creation  presented  to  him.  To  the  Jew's 
mind  the  clean  would  have  been  polluted  by  con- 
tact with  the  unclean,  so  that  all  would  have 
been  alike  prohibited.  Neander  suggests  that  in 
the  four  corners  there  is  an  intimation  that  men 
from  the  North,  and  the  South,  and  the  East,  and 
the  West,  would  appear  as  clean  before  God,  and 
be  called  to  a  participation  in  his  kingdom. 

13,  14.  There  came  a  voice  to  him.  Ch. 
11  :  7  indicates  an  external  and  audible  voice. — 
Kill  and  eat.  This  direction  shows  the  dream- 
like character  of  the  occurrence.  He  could  not 
have  eaten  the  animal  food  without  cookuig,  for 
which  there  was  no  provision. — By  no  means. 
Lord.  The  negative  is  emphatic. — Common 
and  unclean.  This  is  the  best  reading;  the 
conjunction  or  has  been  substituted  for  and  to 
conform  to  ch.  11  :  8.  The  distinction  between 
clean  and  unclean  dates  from  as  early  as  the  flood 
(Gen.  7 : 2).  It  is  incorporated  in  the  Mosaic  law ; 
the  fullest  and  most  important  account  of  its 
provisions  on  this  subject  are  contained  in  Lev., 
chaps.  11-15.  The  most  essential  features  of 
these  provisions  were  the  following  :  (a.)  All  liv- 
ing animals  were  clean,  all  dead  bodies  unclean, 
and  this  because  death  is  the  punishment  of  sm, 
and  the  corpse  a  symbol  of  moral  putrefaction. 
(5. )  It  was  necessary  to  make  provision  for  human 
food  ;  wherefore  certain  animals  were  allowed  to 
be  slaughtered  for  that  purpose.    The  law  pre- 


126 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  X. 


IS  And  the  voice  spake  unto  him  again  the  second 
time,  What  God  bath  cleansed,'  that  call  not  thou 
common. 

i6  This  was  done  thrice :  and  the  vessel  was  received 
up  again  into  heaven. 

17  Now  while  Peter  doubted  in  himself  what  this 
vision  which  he  had  seen  should  mean,  behold,  the 
men  which  were  sent  from  Cornelius  had  made  inqui- 
ry "  for  Simon's  house,  and  stood  before  the  gate, 
"  18  And  called,  and  asked  whether  Simon,  which  was 
surnamed  Peter,  were  lodged  there. 

19  While  Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  the  Spirit" 
said  unto  him,  Behold,  three  men  seek  thee. 


20  Arise  "=  therefore,  and  get  thee  down,  and  go  with 
them,  doubting  nothing  :  for  I  have  sent  them. 

21  Then  Peter  went  down  to  the  men  which  were 
sent  unto  him  from  Cornelius ;  and  said.  Behold,  I  am 
he  whom  ye  seek  :  what  is  the  cause  wherefore  ye  are 
come? 

22  And  they  said,  Cornelius  ^  the  centurion,  a  just 
man,  and  one  that  feareth  God,  and  of  good  report' 
among  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  was  warned  from 
God  by  an  holy  angel,  to  send  for  thee  into  his  house, 
and  to  hear  words  of  thee. 

23  Then  called  he  them  in,  and  lodged  them.  And 
on  the  morrow  Peter  went  away  with  them,  and  cer- 
tain' brethren  from  Joppa  accompanied  him. 


i;   Matt.  15  :  U;   Rom.  14  :  14,  eUs. ;    1  Cor.  10  :  25  ;    1  Tim.  4  :  4 a  ch.  9  :  43 b  cb.  II  :  12 c  ch.  16  :  7 d  verse  1,  etc 

e  ch.  22  :  12  j  Heb.  11  :  2 f  verse  46. 


Bcribed  the  animals  and  the  method  of  slaughter, 
(c.)  Its  discrimination  between  clean  and  unclean 
animals,  i.  e.,  between  those  permitted  and  those 
prohibited  as  food,  accords  with,  though  not 
necessarily  founded  on,  those  sanitary  principles 
which  experience  indicates  as  of  nearly  universal 
application.  The  ancient  heathen  laws  agreed 
substantially  in  their  discrimination  on  this  sub- 
ject with  the  laws  of  Moses.  ((?.)  There  was  one 
important  exception,  the  Gentile  laws  applied 
only  to  the  priestly  classes,  the  Jewish  law  to  all 
the  people.  The  revelation  to  Peter  here  shows 
clearly  that  the  distinction  was  not  merely  sani- 
tary, but  symbolical  and  spiritual.  For  whUe 
sanitary  laws  remain  unchanged,  the  death  of 
Christ  has  taken  away  the  sting  and  shame  of 
death  (i  cor.  15 :  55-57),  and  purified  all  things.  See 
on  next  verse. 

15,  16.  What  God  hath  cleansed  call 
not  thou  common.  The  Lord,  by  his  direc- 
tion to  Peter,  declares  the  O.  T.  distinction  be- 
tween clean  and  unclean  meats  abolished,  and 
this  because  Christ,  by  his  death,  has  cleansed 
all  things,  for  those  who  accept  them  in  faith  and 
with  prayer  and  thanksgiving  (Rom.  u  :  14-17 ;  1  cor. 
10 :  25, 25 ;  1  Tim.  4 : 4, 5),  his  redemption  including  in 
its  scope  and  power  the  whole  physical  universe 
(Ephes.  1 :  10 ;  Col.  1 :  2o).  But  this  is  Only  the  symbol ; 
the  especial  truth  symbolized  is  that  Christ  hatli 
cleansed  humanity,  having  taken  away  the  sin  of 
the  world  (John  1 :  29),  SO  that  henceforth  there  is 
no  form  of  humanity,  so  debased  in  ignorance 
and  vice,  as  to  be  common  and  unclean  to  him 
who  sees  in  every  human  being  a  soul  for  which 
Christ  has  poured  out  his  cleansing  blood. — 
Done  thrice.  To  render  the  communication 
more  emphatic  (cen.  4i :  32). — The  vessel  was 
received  up  a&;ain  into  heaven.  Perhaps 
the  descent  from  heaven  and  the  return  to 
heaven  may  be  taken  to  indicate  that  from  both 
the  clean  (the  Jew),  and  the  unclean  (the  Gen- 
tile), is  composed  the  host  who  have  made  their 
robes  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  (Rev.  7 :  14). 

17,  18.  Stood  before  the  gate.  Which 
closed  the  arched  entrance  to  the  courtyard 
around  which  the  Jewish   house  was   usually 


built.  For  plan  and  illustration,  see  Matt.  26  :  69, 
note. — And  called.  To  the  porter  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  tend  the  door.  There  is  no  ground 
whatever  for  Neander's  assertion  that  the  voices 
of  these  messengers  attracted  Peter's  attention  ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  implication  of  ver.  19  is  that 
he  knew  nothing  of  their  coming  till  the  Spirit 
bade  him  go  down. 

19,  20.  While  Peter  was  revolving  in 
his  mind  concerning  the  vision.  Dreams 
and  visions  were  universally  regarded  in  those 
days  as  revelations  of  the  divine  will ;  Peter  was 
still  turning  this  vision  over  in  mind  to  deduce 
from  it  the  lesson  intended,  perhaps  praying  to 
God  to  interpret  it  to  him,  when,  in  answer  to  his 
prayer,  came  the  message  of  the  Spirit  to  him  to 
go  down  and  go  with  the  men  inquiring  for  him. 
Observe  in  his  case,  as  in  that  of  Cornelius,  Peter 
was  required  to  do  something  to  show  his  obedi- 
ence and  faith,  and  this  while  the  vision  was  still 
an  unsolved  mystery. — Doubting  nothing. 
That  is,  without  scruple  or  hesitation.  When 
the  invitation  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  a  heathen 
was  delivered  to  him  by  the  messengers,  he  would, 
but  for  this  revelation,  have  scrupled  to  comply. 
See  ver.  28.— I  have  sent  them.  Because  Cor- 
nelius, in  sending  them,  acted  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

21-23.  Which  were  sent  unto  him  from 
Cornelius.  These  words  are  wanting  in  the 
best  MSS.— A  just  man  and  one  that  feareth 
God.  Coupling  this  with  the  declaration  of 
verse  2,  that  he  gave  much  alms  to  the  people,  we 
have  in  Cornelius  a  character  which  corresponds 
to  the  divine  requirement  as  interpreted  by  Mi- 
cah  6:8,  "  What  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee 
but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk 
humbly  with  thy  God?"  He  was  just  in  his 
military  administration ;  he  was  charitable  to 
the  needy  ;  he  was  a  worshipper  of  Jehovah  ;  and 
he  had  such  respect  to  the  Jewish  religion  as  to 
be  favorably  regarded  by  the  Jews. — All  the 
nation  of  the  Jews.  That  is,  all  of  that 
nationality  in  Caesarea,  or  its  vicinity. — And 
lodged  them.  It  was  too  late  to  return  to 
Caesarea  the  same  day.    The  men  had  started 


Ch.  X.] 


THE  ACTS. 


127 


84  And  the  morrow  after  they  entered  into  Csesarea. 
And  Cornelius  waited  for  them,  and  had  called  togeth- 
er his  kinsmen  and  near  friends. 

25  And  as  Peter  was  coming  in,  Cornelius  met  him, 
and  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  worshipped  him. 

26  But  Peter  took  him  up,  saying.  Stands  up:  I  my- 
self also  am  a  man. 

27  And  as  he  talked  with  him,  he  went  in,  and  found 
many  that  were  come  together. 

28  And  he  said  unto  them.  Ye  know  how  that  it  is 
an  unlawful  thing  >>  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to  keep 
company,  or  come  unto  one  of  another  nation;  but 
God  hath  shewed  me'  that  1  should  not  call  any  man 
common  or  unclean. 

29  Therefore  came  I  unto  you  without  gainsaying,  as 


soon  as  I  was  sent  for:  I  ask,  therefore,  for  what  intent 
ye  have  sent  for  me  ? 

30  And  Cornelius  said,  Four  days  ago  I  was  fasting 
until  this  hour :  and  at  the  ninth  hour  I  prayed  in  my 
house  ;  and,  behold,  a  man  stood  before  me  J  in  bright 
clothing, 

31  And  said,  Cornelius,  thy*  prayer  is  heard,  and 
thme  alms  are  had  in  remembrance  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

32  Send  therefore  to  Joppa,  and  call  hither  Simon, 
whose  surname  is  Peter:  he  is  lodged  in  the  house  of 
one  Simon  a  tanner,  by  the  sea  side ;  who,  when  he 
cometh,  shall  speak  unto  thee. 

33  Immediately  therefore  I  sent  to  thee:  and  thou 
hast  well  done  that  thou  art  come.    Now'  therefore 


g  ch.  14:  14,  16;  Rev.  19  :  10;  22  :  9 h  John  4  :  9....i  ch.  15  :  8,  9 ;  Ephes.  3:6 i  ch.  1  :  10;  Matt.  28  :  3  ..  k  verse  4,  etc.;   Dan. 

10  :  12 ;  Heb.  6  :  10. . .  .1  Deut.  5  :  27. 


after  3  p.  M.  of  the  preceding  day  (vers.  3, 7) ;  they 
had  thirty  miles  to  travel,  and  could  not,  there- 
fore, have  reached  Joppa  till  well  on  in  the  sec- 
ond day  ;  it  was  noon  when  Peter  went  up  on  to 
the  housetop  to  pray  ;  and  since  then  the  trance 
had  taken  place.  It  was  now,  therefore,  after 
noon,  perhaps  well  on  toward  early  evening. — 
Certain  brethren  from  Joppa  accompa- 
nied him.  In  the  investigation  which  ensued, 
they  confirmed  Peter's  account  (ch.  11 :  12,  note). 

24-27.  And  the  morrow  after.  That  is, 
the  day  after  starting.  Thirty  miles  is  more 
than  a  day's  journey  ;  the  accuracy  of  statement 
in  detail  indicates  that  Luke's  informant  was  an 
eye-witness  of  the  events. — Near  friends.  Inti- 
mate friends.  Observe  the  indication  of  the 
strength  of  his  faith.  He  had  sent  a  distance  of 
thirty  miles,  after  a  stranger,  yet  such  was  his 
assurance  of  a  favorable  response  that  he  had 
gathered  his  kinsfolk  and  friends  before  Peter's 
arrival. — Fell  down  at  his  feet  and  rever- 
enced him.  Not  literally  worshipped  him  (Matt. 
8 : 2,  note).  The  homagc  of  an  inferior  to  a  supe- 
rior is  indicated  here ;  Cornelius  recognized  in 
Peter  a  divine  messenger,  a  prophet  of  the  Lord. 
That  a  Roman  centurion  should  have  prostrated 
himself  at  the  feet  of  a  Jewish  fisherman,  is  an 
evidence  of  his  earnestness  and  his  appreciation 
of  divine  things. — I  myself  also  am  a  man. 
Comp.  ch.  14  :  15 ;  Rev.  32  :  8,  9.  It  would  be 
well  if  Peter's  successors  had  succeeded  to  Pe- 
ter's feeling.  Jesus  never  refused  similar  hom- 
age  (Matt.  8  :  2  ;  9  :  18  ;  14  :  33,  etc.).       Wos  he   leSS  ZCal- 

ous  for  the  worship  of  God  than  his  disciples  ? — 
He  went  in.  Cornelius,  expecting  him,  had 
gone  out  and  met  Peter,  perhaps  at  the  gate, 
possibly  on  the  road  to  Joppa. 

28,  29.  How  that  it  is  an  unlawful 
thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to  keep 
company  with,  or  come  unto  one  of  an- 
other nation.  The  O.  T.  law  forbade  inter- 
marriage with  the  heathen,  and  discouraged  inti- 
macy of  relationship  with  them  (oent.  7 : 1, 2,  le,  23-26 ; 
12 :  27-32) ;  but  neither  the  O.  T.  nor  the  Rabbini- 
cal rules  forbade  all  commerce  between  Jews 


and  Gentiles.  In  that  case  the  Jews  could  not 
have  lived  scattered  throughout  heathen  lands. 
Social  fellowship  with  Gentiles  was,  however, 
accounted  unlawful.  "Those  foreigners  who 
come  to  us,  without  submitting  to  our  laws, 
Moses  permitted  not  to  have  any  intimate  con- 
nection with  us." — (Jos.,  Contra  Apio7i,  2  :  28.) 
So  Juvenal  says  that  the  Jews  "  would  not  show 
the  way,  except  to  their  fellow-religionists ;  nor 
guide  any  but  a  circumcised  person  to  a  fountain 
of  which  he  was  in  search;"  and  Tacitus,  that 
"  they  cherished  against  all  mankind  the  hatred 
of  enemies ;  they  were  separate  in  board  and 
bed."  So  to-day,  in  India,  the  Hindoo  deals 
with  the  English  in  business  affairs,  but  rarely 
admits  him  to  his  house,  or  to  any  social  fellow- 
ship. The  language  of  ch.  11  :  3  indicates  that 
on  Peter's  first  entering,  food  was  set  before  him, 
as,  after  a  long  journey,  would  naturally  have 
been  done,  in  accordance  with  almost  universal 
Eastern  custom.  It  was  this  social  fellowship 
with  Gentiles  to  which  he  here  refers,  and  for 
which  he  was  subsequently  criticised.  —  But 
t^od  hath  shewed  me.  He  now  understood 
th3  vision.  Cornelius  preached  the  Gospel  to 
Peter  no  less  than  Peter  to  Cornelius,  each  teach- 
ing the  other  its  universality. — Without  gain- 
saying. Contrast  Peter's  promptness  with  the 
hesitation  of  Moses  (Exod.  4 :  10, 13)  and  of  Jeremiah 
(jer.  1 : 6),  and  his  gladness  with  the  moroscness 

of  Jonah  (jonah  4  :  l). 

30-33.    Four  days    ago   I  was  fasting. 

There  is  some  difficulty  about  the  proper  ren- 
dering of  this  verse ;  but  that  afforded  by  our 
English  version  accords  with  the  original,  and  is 
the  most  probable.  The  other  view  regards  the 
fast  of  Cornelius  as  lasting  for  four  days,  i.  e., 
from  the  morning  of  the  fourth  preceding  day  to 
the  time  of  this  interview  with  Peter.  But  this 
is  not  a  necessary  translation,  and  why  should  he 
continue  to  fast  after  receiving  an  answer  to  his 
prayer  (vers.  4-6)? — A  man  stood  before  me  in 
bright  clothing.  He  is  here  described  accord- 
ing to  his  appearance,  in  verse  3  and  in  ch.  11 :  13 
according  to  the  reality ;  here  as  a  man,  there  as 


128 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  X. 


are  we  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear  all  things 
that  are  commanded  thee  of  God. 

34  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  and  said,  Of  a 
truth  I  perceive  that  God  ">  is  no  respecter  of  persons  : 

35  But  in"  every  nation  he  that  teareth  him,  and 
worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him. 


36  The  word  which  God  sent  unto  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, preaching  peace"  by  Jesus  Christ:  (he  isP  Lord 
of  all :) 

37  That  word,  /  say^  ye  know,  which  was  published 
throughout  all  Judaea,  and  began  from  Galilee,  after 
the  baptism  which  John  preached  ; 


m  Deut.  10:  17;  2  Chron.  19:7;  Job  34  :  19;  Rom.  2  :  11  ;  Gal.  2:6:1  Pet.  1  :  I7....11  Rom.  2  :  13,  27  ;  3  :  22,  29;  10:  12,13;  Epbes.  2 :  13-18. 
o  laa.  57  :  19  ;  Col.  1  :  20 p  Ps.  24  :  7-10 ;  Matt.  28  :  18  ;  Rom.  14  :  9 ;  1  Col.  16  :  27  ;  Ephes.  1  :  20-22 ;  1  Pet.  3  :  22  ;  Rey.  17  :  14. 


an  angel.  Comp.  Matt.  28  :  5  with  Mark  16  :  5. — 
Thy  prayers  are  heard.  See  on  verse  4. — 
Present  before  God    *    *    *    Commanded 

thee  of  God.  Observe  that  Cornelius  is  atten- 
tive, not  to  Peter  the  man,  but  to  Peter  as  the 
commissioned  messenger  of  God.  The  presence 
of  God  and  the  word  of  God  are  pre-eminent, 
the  presence  and  word  of  Peter  are  subordinate. 
34,  35.  These  two  verses  embody  the  lesson 
which  this  narrative  is  intended  to  teach.  It 
contains  a  negative  and  an  affirmative  declara- 
tion. The  negative,  that  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons,  literally  of  faces,  is  equivalent  to,  God 
does  not  .judge  men  by  their  external  circum- 
stances and  conditions.  It  is  interpreted  by 
James  3  :  1,  9,  where  the  verb  is  the  same ;  ac- 
cords with  the  declaration  of  the  O.T.  (Deut.  lo :  n; 
Lev.  19:15;  1  Sam.  16 : 7),  and  is  reiterated  and  con- 
firmed by  other  passages  in  the  N.  T.  (Rom.  2:11; 
Ephes.  6:9;  Col.  3 :  25).  The  affirmative,  In  every  na- 
tion he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness is  accepted  with  him,  indicates  that  race 
and  nationality  are  among  the  external  circum- 
stances which  do  not  affect  the  divine  judgment. 
Two  fundamental  traits  of  character  secure  his 
approval,  viz.,  (1)  a  genuine  reverence  for  and  alle- 
giance to  the  divine  Being  ;  (2)  a  sincere  endeavor 
to  show  forth  that  allegiance  and  reverence  by 
practical  right-doing  in  daily  life.  With  this 
accords  the  teaching  of  Rom.  2  :  6-11.  How, 
then,  as  to  the  heathen  ?  Taking  the  whole  inci- 
dent as  a  whole,  noting  the  fact  that  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  Cornelius  Peter  was  sent  to  him, 
and  the  message  with  which  he  was  charged  was 
that  of  the  Gospel,  it  clearly  teaches,  (1)  that 
evei-y  man,  whatever  his  race,  education,  or 
creed,  who  reverences  God  and  shows  forth  his 
allegiance  by  right-doing  according  to  his  light, 
is  accepted  by  God ;  (2)  that  this  is  no  reason 
why  the  Gospel  should  not  be  preached  to  the 
heathen,  both  as  a  means  for  producing  such 
reverence  and  righteousness  of  life,  and  also  as 
an  answer  to  the  craving  of  soul  of  those  in  whom 
this  spirit  of  piety  is  created  ;  (3)  that  such  are 
received  not  for  their  righteousness,  but  in  God's 
mercy,  on  the  ground  of  repentance,  i.  e.,  aban- 
donment of  sin,  and  faith,  which  in  their  case  is 
manifested,  not  by  an  acceptance  of  Christ  be- 
fore he  has  been  preached  to  them,  but  by  a 
yearning  for  Christ,  that  is  quick  to  receive  him 
when  he  is  made  known.  The  essential  condi- 
tions of  life  eternal  as  here  indicated  are  not  dif- 


ferent from,  but  Identical  with,  those  indicated 
elsewhere  in  the  Scripture,  as  offered  to  those 
to  whom  the  clear  light  of  the  Gospel  is  un- 
known. See  Isaiah  55  :  7.  The  truth  that  this 
reverence  for  God  and  this  working  of  righteous- 
ness are  among  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  heard  in 
the  heart  but  not  comprehended  by  it,  is  not  in 
issue  here,  any  more  than  the  truth  that  God's 
grace  seeks  as  well  as  saves  the  sinner  is  at  issue 
in  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  Every  part 
of  the  Bible  does  not  teach  all  the  Gospel.  See 
further  ch.  11  :  14,  note. 

3G,  37.  The  construction  of  these  verses  is 
difficult.  Some  scholars  take  "?/w  word  which 
God  senf''  to  be  an  interpretation  of  what 
precedes,  thus  reading  the  entire  passage,  "/ 
perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  etc., 
according  to  the  word  which  God  sent.''''  So  sub- 
stantially Bengal,  De  Wette,  Alford.  I  think  it 
better  to  understand  it  as  in  our  English  ver- 
sion, which  makes  the  word  (ver.  se)  the  object  of 
the  verb  know  (ver.  si).  It  is  no  objection  to  this 
view  to  say  that  Cornelius  and  his  friends  did 
not  know  the  word  preached,  for  how  much 
they  knew  we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining 
except  from  this  narrative.  Thus  rendering  the 
passage,  the  declaration  of  Peter  is  that  his 
auditors  knew  that  Jesus  Christ  ministered 
throughout  Galilee,  working  miracles  and  preach- 
ing unto  the  children  of  Israel.  It  is  now  made 
known  both  to  him  and  them  that  this  Jesus  is 
Lord  of  all.  Gentile  as  well  as  Jew. — Preaching 
peace  through  Jesus  Christ.  Not,  Preaching 
by  Jesus  Christ  about  peace,  but,  Proclaiming  a 
peace  afforded  through  the  life  and  death  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Here  it  is  peace  with  God,  soul- 
rest  by  his  atonement  and  his  indwelling  (Matt. 

11  :  29 ;  Luke  1  :  79  ;  2  :  1 1 ;  John  14  :  27). — He    is  LiOrd  of 

all.  That  is,  of  all  men.  The  larger  truth  that 
he  is  the  Lord  of  all  things,  physical  as  well  as 
spiritual  (coi.  i :  le,  is),  is  not  referred  to  here. — 
That  word  ye  know.  That  is,  they  knew 
that  such  a  word  had  been  preached  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  That  the  fame  of  Christ's  minis- 
try extended  beyond  the  bounds  of  Judea,  even 
during  his  life,  we  know  from  the  Gospels  (Matt. 
4  :  24,  25 ;  Mark  7  :  24).  Philip  had  Subsequently 
preached  the  Gospel  in  Caesarea  (rh.  8 :  4o).  It  is 
very  probable,  too,  that  some  of  the  soldiers 
present  at  Jerusalem  at  the  Passover  had  re- 
turned to  Caesarea,  the  Roman  military  head- 
quarters, and  had  brought  back  reports  of  the 


Ch.  X.] 


THE  ACTS. 


129 


38  How  God  anointed ''  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  with  power  ;  who"'  went  about  doing 
good,  and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed"  ot"  the 
devil :  for'  God  was  with  him. 

39  And  we  "are  witnesses  of  all  things  which  he  did, 
both  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jerusalem  ;  whom 
they  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree : 


40  Him  God  raised  up*  the  third  day,  and  shewed 
him  openly  ; 

41  Not"  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen 
before  "  of  God,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and  drink  with 
him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead. 

42  And  he  commanded  us^  to  preach  unto  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  testify  that'  it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of 
God  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead . 


q  Luke  4  :  18;   Heb.  1  :  9 r  Matt.  12  :  15  ...a  1  John  3:8 t  John  3:2 u  ch.  2  :  32;    Liilte  24  :  48 v  Matt.  28  :  1,  2 

14  :  22 ;  20 :  20. . .  .x  John  16  :  16. . .  .y  Matt.  28  :  19,  20. . .  .1  ch.  17  :  31 ;  John  6  :  22,  27  ;  2  Cor.  5:10;  1  Pet.  4  :  6. 


ministry,  the  miracles,  and  the  death  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  it  has  even  been  suggested  that 
Cornelius  may  have  been  the  centurion  who  was 
present  at  Christ's  crucifixion  (Matt.  27  :  54;  Mark 
15:39). — And  began  from  Galilee.  It  was 
from  Galilee  first  that  the  fame  of  Jesus  went 

abroad  (Luke  4  :  14,  37,  44;    7  :  17  ;    9  :  6). — After    the 

baptism  which  John  preached.  Christ's 
public  ministry  did  not  commence  until  John 
was  cast  into  prison  (Matt.  4  :  12),  though  some 
previous  events  in  our  Lord's  life,  including  the 
conference  with  Nicodemus  and  the  Samaritan 
woman,  are  recorded. 

38.  With  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
power.  The  Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  Jesus 
immediately  after  his  baptism.  Ibwer  is  not 
merely,  as  Dr.  Hackett,  the  power  to  perform 
miracles,  but  the  whole  moral  and  spiritual 
might  manifested  by  Christ's  life  of  doing  good 
and  healing. — Who  went  about  doing  good. 
A  suggestive  characteri2ation  of  what  Christ's 
life  was,  and  what  the  Christian's  life  should  be. 
— Healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the 
devil.  The  reference  is  to  the  casting  out  of 
evil  spirits  from  those  possessed.  See  note  on 
demoniacal  possession.  Vol.  I.,  p.  123.  This  is 
singled  out  by  Peter,  as  by  Christ  himself  (Matt. 
12  :  27,  28),  as  a  conclusive  demonstration  of  his 
divine  power. — For  God  was  with  him.  The 
secret  of  Christ's  power,  as  of  the  power  of  his 
disciples,  was  God  in  him  (John  14 :  10). 

39-41.  And  we  are  witnesses.  Having 
preached  Christ,  Peter  declares  to  CorneUus  his 
own  mission  and  character.  What  his  Gentile 
auditors  knew  only  as  a  rumor,  he  has  come  to 
bear  witness  to  as  a  fact. — Whom  they  slew 
and  hanged  on  a  tree.  Alford  notices  the 
difference  between  the  spirit  of  his  address  here 
to  the  Gentiles  concerning  the  Jews,  and  his  ad- 
dresses to  the  Jews  themselves  (ch.  2 :  23 ;  3 :  u ; 
4 :  10 ;  5 :  3o),  wheu  he  was  working  conviction  in 
the  minds  of  those  who  had  participated  in  the 
crucifixion.  There  he  barely  states  the  fact ; 
there  he  characterizes  and  condemns  the  guilt 
of  the  people  in  the  crucifixion. — Him  God 
raised  up  the  third  day.  On  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ,  see  Vol.  I.,  p.  330. — Not  to 
all  the  people.  In  fact,  no  appearance  of 
Christ  after  the  resurrection  is  recorded  except 
to  his  own  personal  friends.    This  was  perhaps 


for  the  same  reason  that  he  would  not  work 
mu-acles  at  the  demand  of  the  Pharisees,  because 
he  would  not  have  the  faith  of  the  people  rest 

upon   signs  and  wonders  (Matt.  12  :  38,  39  ;  Lake  16  :  31). 

— Unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God. 

They  are  represented  in  the  Gospels  both  as 
chosen  by  Christ  (Luke  6 :  13 ;  John  15 :  16),  and  chosen 
by  God  and  given  to  Christ  (john  n  -.  e). — Who 
did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  rose 
from  the  dead.  Luke  24  :  30,  41-43 ;  John 
21  :  12,  13,  are  instances  of  such  meal-taking 
after  the  resurrection ;  the  object  of  which  ap- 
pears to  have  been  to  afford  tangible  evidence  of 
its  reality. 

42.  And  he  commanded  us  to  herald 
unto  the  people.  Not  as  Alford,  the  Jewish 
people.  It  is  true  that  the  apostles  at  first  so 
limited  the  commission,  but  at  the  time  of 
Christ's  birth  his  advent  was  announced  as  glad 
tidings  to  all  the  people  (Luke  2 :  lo) ;  after  his  resur- 
rection, in  the  great  commission,  he  directed  the 
ai)ostles  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature, 
teaching  all  nations  (Matt.  23 :  i9 ;  Mark  16 :  is)  ;  and 
just  before  his  ascension  he  promised  them  that 
they  should  be  witnesses  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth  (ch.  i :  s).  Peter  is  beginning  to 
understand  the  fuU  meaning  of  the  Lord's  com- 
mand, and  his  use  of  the  term  the  people,  without 
adding  the  qualifying  phrase  of  Israel  (ch.  4 :  lo ; 
13 :  17, 24),  indicates  the  change  at  work,  under  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  mind.  This 
change  is  consummated  when  he  sees  the  Holy 
Ghost  evidently  bestowed  upon  the  Gentiles. — 
And  to  testify.  This  word  suggests  the  sol- 
emn and  weighty  import  and  the  certain  truth 
of  the  words  of  the  apostles,  sworn,  as  it  were,  to 
speak  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth.  Observe  the  double  oflBce  of  the 
minister  :  he  is  a  herald  to  announce  news,  and  a 
witness  to  confirm  it,  by  his  own  testimony  and 
that  (see  neit  verse)  of  the  word  of  God. — Ordained 
by  God,  Judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead. 
Not  to  be  judge.  The  words  to  be  are  added  need- 
lessly by  the  translators.  Christ  is  now  the  judge ; 
his  Ufe  and  character  are  the  standard  by  which 
every  man  is  to  judge  himself ;  he  shows  what  is 
the  idea]  of  humanity,  and  so,  how  far  we  have 
fallen  from  it.  He  is  also  to  be  the  judge,  by 
announcing  the  divine  judgments  on  the  sons  of 
men  at  the  last  day.  See  marg.  ref.  The  living  and 


130 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  X. 


43  To  him  "  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through 
his  name  whosoever''  believeth  in  him  shall  receive  re- 
mission of  sins. 

44  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy 
Ghost  "^  fell  on  all  them  which  heard  the  word. 

45  And  they""  of  the  circumcision  which  believed 
were  astonished,  as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  because 
that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost : 


46  For  they  heard  them  speak «  with  tongues,  and 
magnify  God.     Then  answered  Peter, 

47  Can '  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not 
be  baptized,  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as 
well  as  we. 

48  And  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  Then  prayed  they  him  to  tarry 
certain  days. 


a  Luke  S4  :  27,  44  ;  John  6  :  39  ....  b  John  3  :  14-17  ;  Rom.  10  :  11 . . 


ch.  4  :  31 . . . .  d  verse  23  ....  e  ch.  2  :  4  . 


t?ie  dead  are  here  to  be  takeii,  primarily,  literally 
of  all  men,  past,  present,  and  to  come  ;  so  taken, 
there  is  no  objection  to  add,  secondarily,  a  spirit- 
ual meaning,  and  understand  it  to  indicate  both 
saints  and  sinners.  Observe  how  both  here  and 
in  ch.  17  :  31,  the  judicial  office  of  Christ  is 
brought  into  prominence  ;  a  phase  of  his  charac- 
ter and  work  rarely  mentioned  in  modem  preach- 
ing.    He  is  Judge,  as  well  as  Saviour. 

43.  To  him  give  all  the  prophets  wit- 
ness. Not  necessarily  to  be  taken  literally.  But 
it  certainly  implies  the  unquestionable  truth 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  central  theme  of  the 
body  of  O.  T.  prophecy,  both  spoken  and  sym- 
bolical. See  on  ch.  3  :  31,  24— That  through 
his  name  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  receive  remission  of  sins.  Another 
of  Luther's  "  little  Gospels,"  for  which  the  apos- 
tles' speeches  are  very  noteworthy.  See  ch.  2 :  38, 
39 ;  3  :  19  ;  4  :  13  ;  5  :  31.  Here  is  embodied  (1) 
the  only  means  of  salvation,  viz.,  the  name  of 
Jesus,  which  signifies  Saviour  from  sin  (Matt,  i :  21, 
note ;  Acts  4:12);  (3)  the  Universality  of  the  offer  of 
Balvation,  Whosoever  believeth ;  (3)  the  condition 
of  salvation,  believeth  in  him — not  believing  any 
doctrine  about  him,  nor  merely  believing  what  he 
says,  but  believing,  trusting,  relying  upon  him,  as 
the  one  supreme  object  of  confidence  (see  Matt,  is :  6, 
note) ;  (4)  the  nature  of  salvation,  the  remission 
of  sins;  not  merely  the  forgiveness,  i.  e.,  the 
remission  of  the  future  penalty,  but  the  remis- 
sion of  the  sin  itself,  the  cleansing  from  all 
unrighteousness.  See  ch.  3  :  38,  note,  and  1  John 
1:9.  It  is  very  true  that  Peter's  hearers  prob- 
ably did  not,  and  even  Peter  possibly  did  not, 
fully  comprehend  the  full  significance  of  the  lan- 
guage. The  case  is  one  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
conveys  more  than  the  immediate  hearers  could 
tmderstand,  and  possibly  more  than  the  speaker 
himself  understood. 

44-46.  While  Peter  was  yet  speaking. 
He  was  going  on  to  say  more,  when  interrupted 
by  the  manifestation  of  the  gift  of  the  Spirit 
(ch.  11:16). — The  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them 
that  heard  the  word.  Not  merely  moved  on 
their  hearts  and  minds  ;  this  he  had  done  before, 
in  awakening  in  them  a  desire  for  a  knowledge 
of  the  truth  (see  on  ver.  2o) ;  but,  manifested  his 
presence  by  an  external  revelation  of  his  power, 
here  by  conferring  on  the  Gentiles  the  power  of 


speaking  with  tongues.  See  ch.  8  :  16,  note. — 
They  of  the  circumcision,  etc.  The  Jewish 
Christians  who  had  come  with  Peter  (ch.  ii :  12). — 
Speak  with  tongues.  See  ch.  2  :4,  note.  The 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  bestowed  on  all  that 
heard,  and  this  declaration,  coupled  with  the 
baptism  which  followed,  implies  that  all  accepted 
the  word. 

47,  48.  Can  any  forbid  the  water  that 
these  should  not  be  baptized  ?  Alford's 
deduction  from  the  form  of  expression  here, 
the  water,  that  "the  practice  was  to  bring  the 
water  to  the  candidates,  not  the  candidates  to 
the  water,"  appears  to  me  far-fetched.  It  is 
not  by  such  inferences  that  we  can  learn  the 
apostolic  practice  as  regards  baptism,  if  indeed, 
which  I  doubt,  the  form  and  method  used  by 
them  is,  or  is  meant  to  be,  discoverable  by  us. 
But  his  comment  on  the  fact  that  the  bestowal  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  preceded  baptism  is  both  true 
and  important.  "The  fire  of  the  Lord  fell,  ap- 
proving the  sacrifice  of  the  Gentiles  (see  Rom.  ib  :  is), 
conferring  on  them  the  substance  before  the 
symbol,  the  baptism  with  the  Holy  Ghost  before 
the  baptism  with  water :  and  teaching  us  that 
as  the  Holy  Spirit  dispensed  once  and  for  all  with 
the  necessity  of  circumcision  in  the  flesh,  so  can 
he  also,  when  it  pleases  him,  with  the  necessity 
of  water  baptism ;  and  warning  the  Christian 
church  not  to  put  baptism  itself  in  the  place 
which  circumcision  once  held." 

He  commanded  them  to  be  baptized. 
"By  others ;  he  devolved  the  service  on  his  atten- 
dants."—(Sac&e».)  The  facts  that  our  Lord  never 
baptized  (John  4  : 2),  and  the  apostles  apparently 
rarely  (i  Cor.  1 :  14),  is  significant,  indicating  that 
they  held  the  rite  to  be  quite  subordinate  to  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  to  which  they  chiefly  gave 
themselves.  It  is  also  indicated  that  no  minis- 
terial ordination  was  required  to  perform  the 
rite;  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  any  of 
Peter's  companions  held  any  official  position  in 
the  Christian  church.— Certain  days.  There 
is  nothing  to  indicate  how  long  Peter  remained. 


Ch.  11  :  1-30.  RESULT  OF  THE  REVELATION  TO 
PETER.  FURTHER  OPENilSG  OF  THE  DOOR  TO  THE 
GENTILES.    The  teaching  op  God's  Spirit  accepted 

BY  THE  CHUBCH.— The  GIFT  OF  GOD'S  GRACE  IS  ALWAT9 
A  SUFFICIENT    TOKEN  OF  God's  APPROBATION.  —  ThB 


Ch.  XI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


131 


CHAPTER    XI. 

AND  the  apostles  and  brethren  that  were  in  Judaea 
heard  that  the  Gentiles  had  also    received  the 
word  of  God. 

2  And  when  Peter  was  come  up  to  Jerusalem,  they  s 
that  were  of  the  circumcision  contended  with  him, 

3  Saying,  Thou  wentest  in  to  men  uncircumcised, 
and  didst  eat  with  them. 

4  But  Peter  rehearsed  the  matter  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  expounded  it  by  order  unto  them,  saying, 

5  I  was  in  the  city  of"  Joppa,  praying  :  and  in  a 
trance  I  saw  a  vision,  A  certain  vessel  descend,  as  it 
had  been  a  great  sheet,  let  down  from  heaven  by  four 
corners  ;  and  it  came  even  to  me : 


6  Upon  the  which  when  I  had  fastened  mine  eyes,  1 
considered,  and  saw  four-footed  beasts  of  the  earth, 
and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the 
air. 

7  And  I  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me,  Arise,  Peter ; 
slay,  and  eat. 

8  But  I  said.  Not  so.  Lord :  for  nothing  common  or 
unclean  hath  at  any  time  entered  into  my  mouth. 

0  But  the  voice  answered  me  again  from  heaven. 
What  God  hath  cleansed,  that  ca.\\  not  thou  common. 

10  And  this  was  done  three  times :  and  all  were 
drawn  up  again  into  heaven. 

11  And,  behold,  immediately  there  were  three  men 
already  come  unto  the  house  where  I  was,  sent  from 
Csesarea  unto  me. 


g  ch.  10  :  23,  28  ;  Gal.  2:12 b  ch.  10  :  9,  etc. 


STMBOI.  tTNIMPOBTANT  ;  THE  8PIBIT  ESSENTIA!. — ThE 
CONFIRMATION  OP  I*ETER'8  VISION  IN  THE  CONVER- 
SION OF  THE  Gentiles. — Barnabas  illustrates  the 
teachable  disposition  op  the  true  disciple. — 
Christian  benevolence  should  be  individuai,, 
universal,  voluntary,  relative  to  pecuniary 
ability.  -Benevolence  at  home  helps  to  prepare 

THE  CHURCH  AT  ANTIOCH  FOB  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY 
WORK. 

This  chapter  traces  still  further  the  develop- 
ment in  the  mind  of  the  church  of  the  truth  that 
the  Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to  every  one  that 
believeth,  both  Jew  and  Gentile.  Peter's  course 
in  consorting  with  Gentiles  is  criticised  ;  he  sub- 
mits himself  to  the  investigation  of  the  brethren 
at  Jerusalem  ;  on  his  account  of  the  facts,  they 
accept,  with  him,  the  manifest  will  of  God ;  that 
Avill  is  further  manifested  by  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  accompanying  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  to  the  Greeks,  especially  in  Antioch. 
This  narrative  leads  to  an  account  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Christian  church  there,  the  origin 
of  the  name  Christian,  the  preparation  for  the 
subsequent  missionary  work  of  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas, and  in  this  connection  Paul's  second  visit  to 
the  apostles  at  Jerusalem.  The  account  is  not 
chronological ;  at  ver.  19  it  goes  back  and  recounts 
the  effects  of  the  persecution  which  Saul  had 
instigated  (ch.  8 : 2-1),  and  which,  continuing  after 
his  conversion,  paved  the  way  for  his  subsequent 
Christian  missionary  work.  Thus  Luke  brings 
together  in  this  chapter  the  separate  threads  of 
his  narrative,  the  whole  of  which  is  devoted  to 
an  account  of  the  extension  of  the  Gospel  beyond 
the  borders  of  Judaism,  but  by  three  concurrent 
instrumentalities :  (1)  by  the  dispersion  of  the 
Jewish  Christians  through  the  persecution  inau- 
gurated by  Saul,  narrated  in  ch.  8  :  2-4,  and  here 
in  verses  19-21 ;  (2)  by  the  missionary  labors  of 
Philip  (ch.  8 :  .1-40),  and  Peter  (9  :  32  to  ch.  lo :  48),  the 
preaching  to  and  baptism  of  the  Gentiles  by  the 
latter  being  confirmed  by  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem (ver.  18) ;  (3)  by  the  labors  of  Saul,  whose 
biography,  broken  off  at  ch.  9  :  30,  is  resumed 
here  at  ver,  2.5,  to  be  broken  off  again,  and  again 
resumed  in  ch.  12  :  25,  and  made  thereafter  the 


centre  of  the  history,  as  he  was  the  great  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  therefore  the  great  instru- 
ment in  spreading  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen. 
The  dates  covered  by  the  events  in  this  chapter 
extend  from  A.  d.  36  to  A.  d.  44  or  45.  See 
chronological  table  in  Introduction. 

1-3.  And  the  brethren  that  were  through- 
out Judea.  That  is,  belonging  to  the  different 
churches  in  the  province  of  Judea.  With  the 
exception  of  sojourners  in  Jerusalem,  these 
would  nearly  all  be  Hebrews  by  birth  and  educa- 
tion.— Had  also  accepted  the  word  of  God. 
Not  merely  received  the  word,  but  acknowl- 
edged its  truth  and  professed  allegiance  to  it ; 
their  reception  into  the  church  is  implied.  Tlie 
word  of  God  is  equivalent  to  the  Gospel.  Com  p. 
ch.  4  :  31 ;  6:2;  8  :  14.— They  that  were  of 
the  circumcision.  That  is,  the  Hebrew  Chris- 
tians ;  probably  such  proselytes  as  were  in  Judea 
were  not  prominent  in  this  complaint.  Later, 
there  grew  up  in  the  Christian  church  a  consider- 
able party  who  maintained  that  circumcision  was 
a  prerequisite  to  Christian  discipleship  ;  in  other 
words,  that  the  Gospel  was  offered  only  to  those 
who  were  by  birth,  or  by  their  own  choice,  Jews. 
Ch.  15  : 1 ;  Gal.  5  :  1-6,  12 ;  6  :  12.  —And  didst 
eat  with  them.  This  social  fellowship  with 
the  Gentiles  was  the  gravamen  of  the  charge 
against  Peter.     See  ch.  10  :  28,  note. 

4.  But  Peter  beginning  set  before  them 
in  order,  saying.  That  is,  he  began  at  the 
beginning,  and  gave  a  consecutive  narrative  of 
his  experience :  his  vision  at  Joppa,  the  message 
to  him  from  Cornelius,  the  report  by  Cornelius 
of  his  own  vision,  the  consequent  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  to  him  and  his  friends,  and  the  re- 
sult. Observe  that  Peter  is  called  to  an  account 
not  only  by  the  apostles,  but  also  by  the  laity 
(the  brethren),  that  he  recognizes  their  right, 
and  answers  their  inquiries.  He  claims  no  apos- 
tolic— certainly  no  papal — authority. 

5-10.  See  ch.  10  :  9-16,  notes.  One  or  two 
points  in  the  narrative  here  are  noticeable.  Jt 
came  et^en  to  me,  indicates  that  the  vision  was  not 
dim,  distant,  nor  indistinct ;  upon  the  which  when  1 
hxtd  fastened  mine  eyes  I  considered^  literally,  upon 


132 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XL 


12  And  the  Spirit '  bade  me  go  with  them,  nothing 
doubting.  Moreover,  these  six  brethren  accompanied 
me  :  and  we  entered  into  the  man's  house  : 

13  And  he  shewed  us  how  he  had  seen  an  angel  in 
his  house,  which  stood  and  said  unto  him,  Send  men 
to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Simon,  whose  surname  is 
Peter ; 

14  Who  shall  tell  thee  words,J  whereby  thou  and  all 
thy  house  shall  be  saved. 

15  And  as  I  began  to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on 
them,  as ''  on  us  at  the  beginning. 

16  Then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how 


that  he  said,  John'  indeed  baptized  with  water  ;  but™ 
ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

17  Forasmuch  then  as  God  gave  °  them  the  like  gift 
as  he  did  unto  us,  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  what"  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God  ? 

18  When  they  heard  these  thiM;s,  they  held  their 
peace,  and  glorified  God,  saying,  Then  hath  God  also 
to  the  Gentiles  P  granted  repentance  unto  life. 

19  Now  they  1  which  were  scattered  abroad  upon  the 
persecution  that  arose  about  Stephen,  travelled  as  tar 
as  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and  Antioch,  preaching  the 
word  to  none  but'  unto  the  Jews  only. 


John  16  :  13. . .  .j  Pa.  19:7-11;   John  6:63,  68.... k  ch.  2  :  4.. .  .1  ch.  1  :  5  ;   Matt.  3  :  11;   John  1  ;i?6,  33....m  Isa.  44  :  3;   Joel  2:^8.... 
n  ch.  15:8,  9... .o  Rom.  9  :  21-26. ...p  Rom.  10:  12,  13;  15:9,16...  q  ch.  8  :  l....r  Matt.  10:  6. 


whic\  intent.,  I  considered,  indicates  that  the  voice 
did  not  speak  to  him  until  he  not  only  observed 
but  pondered  the  meaning  ;  I  heard  a  voice.,  indi- 
cates an  audible  voice. 

11-14.    See  ch.  10  :  17-33,  notes.    Only  from 
Peter's  account  here  do  we  learn  the  number 
who  accompanied  him,  six  brethren.     The  lan- 
guage implies  that  they  were  present  with  him 
at  this  investigation  to  verify  his  account.    An 
angel,  should  be  rendered  the  angel.    The  use  of 
the  definite  article  implies  that  Peter's  auditors 
had  previously  heard  of  the  angelic  appearance 
to  Cornelius.    In  his  house  is  inserted,  it  appears 
to  me,  not,  as  Alexander,  to  indicate  that  Cor- 
nelius was  not  liable  to  be  deceived,  since  it 
appeared  to  him  in  his  own  house,  but  as  an 
authority  for  Peter's  course  ;  if  an  angel  of  God 
could  enter  the  house  of  a  Gentile  to  bring  a 
message  of  grace,  surely  Peter  need  not  hesi- 
tate to  do  so.— Who  shall  tell  thee  words 
whereby  thou  and  all  thy  house  shall  be 
saved.     Comp.  ch.  10  :  6,  33.     The  language 
here   specifies  more  accurately  than  there  the 
nature  of  the  information  which  ComeUus  was 
expecting.      It  does  not,  however,  necessarily 
imply  that  he  and  his  house  were  not  already  in 
the  way  of  salvation,  and   ch.  10  :  3,  4,  31,  35 
clearly  indicates  that  before  Peter  came  to  him 
he  was  accepted  by  God.    The  language  here, 
however,  justifies  the  conclusion  that  he  had  no 
assurance  of  salvation,   and  that  in  his  case  it 
was  the  mission  of  the  Gospel  to  bring  peace  by 
Jesus  Christ  (ch.  lo :  ss)  to  a  heart  already  saved 
by  divine  grace,  but  lacking  that  restful  assur- 
ance of  salvation  which  only  the  Gospel  can  im- 
part.   The  promise  to  his  house  does  not  neces- 
sarily imply  the  salvation  of  the  children  on  the 
faith  of  the  father,  for,  in  ch.  10  :  3,  it  is  said  that 
all  his  house  feared  God. 

15-18.  As  I  began  to  speak.  Evidently 
the  sermon  (ch.  lo :  34-43)  was  broken  off  by  the 
manifest  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost.— As  also 
upon  us  in  the  beginning.  That  is,  m  the 
same  manner  as  upou  us,  and  so  with  evident 
manifestation  of  power  (ch.  10  :  46).— The  word 
of  the  liord.  See  ch.  1  :  5.  This  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit  recalled  and  gave  new  significance 


to  Christ's  promise. —  What  was  I,   that  I 
could   restrain  God  ?    The  argument  in  the 
apostle's  mind  was  this :  Christ  had  promised 
the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  that  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  John  the  Baptist  had  foretold 
(Matt.  3: 11);  of  this,  water-baptLsm  was  only  the 
symbol ;  since  this  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
had  been  conferred  by  God  upon  the  Gentiles, 
how  could  Peter  refuse  to  confer  the  symbol '? 
The  argument  is  one    of   various    application. 
Whenever  we  refuse  to  accept  the  work  of  God 
manifested  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  be- 
cause it  is  not  wrought  according  to  our  chosen 
ecclesiastical  methods,  or  with  the  instruments 
which  we  have  been  accustomed  to  approve,  we 
endeavor  to  restrain  or  limit  God. — They  held 
their  peace  and  glorified  God.    Their  ob- 
jections were  silenced  ;  but  praise  was  inspired. 
— Surely  then  to  the  Gentiles   also  God 
has  given  repentance  unto  life.     Not  an 
opportmiity  to  repent.    The  Jews  never  doubted 
that  the  Gentiles  might  repent,  be  circumcised, 
and  by  thus  becoming  Jews  become  also  heirs 
of  eternal  life.    The  language  is  to  be  taken  lit- 
erally ;  to  the  Gentiles,  while  still  Gentiles,  God 
had  granted  repentance,  a  change  of  heart  and 
life.    The  church  accepts  Peter's  argument  and 
his  conclusion ;    the  divine    result  in  gracious 
fruit  is  the  conclusive  demonstration  of  divine 
approval,  however  strange  the  method  by  which 
it  is  reached.  Observe  that  repentance  elsewhere 
commanded  (Matt.  4 :  i? ;  Acts  2 :  38)  is  here,  as  in  ch. 
5  :  31,  treated  as  a  divine  gift,  the  disposition  to 
repent  being  itself  awakened  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.    It  makes  no  real  difference  in  the  spirit- 
ual meaning  of  the  passage  whether  we  connect 
unto  life,  as  does  Dr.  Hackett,  with  repentance, 
understanding   the    meaning  to  be.  Repentance 
unto  life  (2  Cor.  7 :  lo),  or,  as  Alford,  with  the  verb 
granted,  understanding  the  meaning  to  be,  he 
has  bestowed  this  gift  of  repentance  that  they 
may  attain  unto  life.    From  this  hour  dates  the 
division  in  the  Christian  church ;  one  party,  the 
Judaizing  faction,  putting  the   rite  of  circum- 
cision above    the    spiritual    significance  of   the 
rite,  the  other  acceptmg  the  teaching  of  God's 
Spirit,  and  conferring  baptism  upon  and  extend- 


Ch.  XI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


133 


ing  Christian  fellowship  to  the  uncircumcised. 
In  different  forms  the  contest  has  reappeared 
in  the  Christian  church  whenever  the  external 
forms  have  been  put  above  the  inward  spirit  of 
religion.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that,  notwith- 
standing Peter  was  the  first  to  extend  Christian 
fellowship  to  the  GentUes,  he  subsequently  drew 

back  (Gal.  2  :  ll-u). 

19.  Now  they  which  were  scattered 
abroad  upon  the  persecution  which  arose 
about  Stephen.  As  described  in  ch.  8  :  2-4. 
The  historian  goes  bacli  to  the  dispersion,  there 
narrated,  of  the  Jewish  Christians,  produced  by 
the  persecutions  instigated  by  Saul,  and  traces 
its  results  down  to  the  time  subsequent  to  Saul's 
conversion  and  first  visit  to  Jerusalem,  and  sub- 
sequent to  the  revelation  to  Peter,  and  his  visit 
to  Cornelius. — Traveled  as  far  as  Phenice. 
A  small  but  important  commercial  country,  from 
one  to  twenty  miles  wide,  and  from  150  to  180 
miles  long,  lying  between  the  crest  of  Lebanon 
and  the  sea.  Itself  a  fruitful  country,  its  fleets 
carried  not  only  its  own  products,  but  those  of 
Assyria,  Babylon,  and  Egypt,  to  the  Greeks  and 
other  inhabitants  of  Europe  and  of  Northern  and 
Western  Africa.  It  was  peopled  by  the  descend- 
ants of  Ham,  and  its  principal  cities,  which  were 
ordinarily  independent,  uniting  only  under  the 
most  powerful  in  time  of  danger,  were  Sidon, 
Tyre,  Berytus,  Byblus,  Tripolis,  and  Aradus. 
Greece  claims  to  have  borrowed  letters  from  the 
Phenicians,  and  their  characters  are  unquestion- 


ably older  than  the  Hebrew,  of  which  they  were 
perhaps  the  origin.  They  worshipped,  in  cruel 
rites,  the  sun,  moon,  and  planets  by  the  appel- 
lations of  Baal  and  Ashtoreth,  and  had  a  most 
pernicious  effect  upon  the  Israelites.  The  land  is 
frequently  referred  to  in  the  O.  T.  by  the  title  of  its 
chief  cities,  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Recent  explorations 
bring  to  light  much  interesting  proof  of  the  pro- 
ficiency of  the  Phenicians  in  many  of  the  arts. 

And  Cyprus.  A  large  island  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, about  60  miles  from  the  coast  of  Pales- 
tine. It  is  fertile,  though  not  extensively  culti- 
vated, and  produces  cotton,  wine,  and  fruits. 
It  has  also  some  mineral  products.  After  be- 
longing to  Egj'pt,  Persia,  and  Greece,  it  became 
a  Roman  possession  a.  d.  58,  and  was  added  to 
Cilicia.  It  is  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture, 
and  is  especially  notable  as  being  the  birthplace 
of  Barnabas,  as  early  sending  out  Christian 
preachers,  and  as  being  the  first  point  reached 
by  Paul  and  Barnabas  in  their  first  missionary 
journey.  Salamis,  at  one  end  of  the  island,  and 
Paphos,  at  the  other,  were  the  principal  cities. 
This  island  is  now  an  object  of  great  interest, 
since,  in  the  recent  explorations  of  Di  Cesnola,  a 
vast  amount  of  treasure  has  been  added  to  the 
antiquities  which  reveal  so  much  respecting  the 
ancients ;  while  to  the  devout  student  of  the 
Bible  they  are  especially  valuable,  because  in  so 
many  points  they  testify  to  its  truth. 

And  Antioch.  That  is,  Antioch  in  Syria.  See 
map.     This  city,  the  capital  of  the  Greco-Syrian 


ANTIOCH  IN  STRIA. 


kings,  was  situated  nearly  in  the  angle  formed 
by  the  coasts  of  Syria  and  Asia  Minor,  and  in 
the  valley  where  the  river  Orontes  passes  be- 
tween the  ranges  of  Lebanon  and  Tau.  Its  situ- 
ation and  circumstances  were  such  as  to  make  it 
a  place  of  concourse  for  all  classes  and  kinds  of 
people.  It  possessed  peculiar  inland  and  mari- 
time privileges.  The  trade  of  the  Mediterranean 
and  that  of  the  caravans  from  Mesopotamia  and 


Arabia  met  here.  For  the  first  two  centuries 
of  the  Christian  era  it  was  the  "Gate  of  the 
East,"  and  only  gradually  did  Constantinople  win 
from  it  this  honor.  It  was,  in  the  time  of  Augus- 
tus, a  tetrapolis,  a  union  of  four  cities  built  by 
the  first  and  second  Seleucus  and  the  third  and 
fourth  Antiochus.  Prosperous  as  it  was  under 
the  Greek  kings  of  Syria,  it  became  still  more  so 
under  the  Roman  rule,  when  it  was  declared  a 


134 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XI. 


20  And  some  of  them  were  men  of  Cyprus  and  Gy- 
rene, which,  when  they  were  come  to  Antioch,  spake 
unto  the  Grecians,'  preaching  the  Lord  Jesus. 


21  And  the'  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them:  and 
a  great  number  believed,  and  turned"  unto  the  Lord. 

22  Then  tidings  of  these  things  came  unto  the  ears 


8  ch.  6  :  1 ;  9  :  29 t  Luke  1  :  66 a  ch.  15  :  19 ;  1  Thess.  1  :  9. 


free  city.  Antioch  was  one  to  two  miles  wide, 
and  between  four  and  five  miles  long,  from  east 
to  west.  It  was  encompassed  by  walls  50  feet 
high  and  15  feet  thick,  which  were  carried  at  a 
prodigious  expense  over  ravines  and  the  ridge 
of  the  mountain  on  the  south,  and  whose  re- 
mains even  now,  after  all  the  ravages  of  time 
and  the  havoc  of  war,  astonish  the  traveler. 
Within  these  walls  the  city  was  divided  into  four 
wards,  each  surrounded  with  its  own  wall.  The 
streets,  symmetrical  and  regular,  were  flanked 
by  colonnades  and  decorated  with  statuary  ;  and 
the  main  street,  or  Corso,  built  by  Herod  the 
Great,  more  than  a  league  in  length,  and  orna- 
mented with  four  ranges  of  columns,  formed  two 
covered  galleries,  with  a  wide  avenue  in  the 
midst.  There  were  immense  public  buildings 
and  wonderfully  beautiful  statues — the  noblest 
specimens  of  Grecian  art.  Having,  too,  a  most 
delightful  climate,  it  is  not  strange  that  it  gath- 
ered from  every  quarter  a  population  reckoned 
at  over  500,000,  among  whom  the  languages 
spoken  and  the  costumes  worn  were  singularly 
diverse.  Foremost  in  refinement  and  culture, 
false  though  they  were,  Antioch  was  also  fore- 
most in  luxury  and  vice.  It  is  probable  that  no 
populations  were  ever  more  abandoned  than 
those  of  oriental  Grecian  cities  under  the  Roman 
empire,  and  of  these  cities  Antioch  was  one  of 
the  greatest  and  worst.  Frivolous  amusements 
were  daily  occupations,  and  vice  the  business 
of  life.  Though  the  terrible  degradation  did 
not  sink  into  mere  ugly  vulgarity,  it  was  none 
the  less  terrible  because  surrounded  by  beauty 
of  art  and  the  infinite  charm  of  nature.  It  was 
a  city  of  races,  games,  dances,  processions,  fetes, 
debaucheries,  the  fanaticism  of  the  orgy,  the 
most  unhealthy  superstitions,  and  the  most  un- 
bridled luxury.  Its  famous  suburb  was  an 
epitome  of  the  city — the  lovely  Daphne,  where 
the  heathen  gods  Diana  and  Apollo  were  en- 
shrined in  a  temple,  embosomed  in  groves  of  cy- 
presses and  myrtles  ten  miles  in  circumference — 
with  fountains  and  buildings,  crowds  of  licentious 
votaries,  and  yjrocessions  of  pleasure-seekers  in- 
toxicated with  sensuality — where  "all  that  was 
beautiful  in  nature  and  in  art  had  created  a 
sanctuary  for  a  perpetual  festival  of  vice."  To 
this  city,  with  its  outreaching  radii,  Divine  wis- 
dom directed  the  missionary  disciples ;  upon 
this  "heathen  queen"  they  made  their  earliest 
attack,  and  their  victory  in  the  power  of  the 
Lord  was  here  made  memorable,  though  unwit- 
tingly, by  those  proud  scorners  who  gave  us  the 


name  of  "Christians."  Nothing  but  ruins  re- 
mains of  this  one  of  the  great  cities  of  the  world, 
and  the  changing  of  the  river's  course  and  the 
earthquake  have  almost  obliterated  these. 

But  unto  the  Jews  only.  This  phrase 
shows  that  it  is  the  ministi-y  of  the  dispersed 
Jewish  Christians  immediately  after  Stephen's 
death  that  is  here  referred  to,  three  years  pre- 
vious to  Paul's  visit  to  Jerusalem  and  conference 
with  Peter  (ch.  9 :  27, 28;  Gal.  1 :  is),  and  probably 
some  time  previous  to  Peter's  visit  to  Cornelius. 
Their  preaching  to  the  Jews  only,  accorded  with 
Christ's  commission  to  the  twelve  while  he  was 
still  living  (Matt,  lo :  5),  and  with  their  practice  for 
the  first  few  years  after  his  resurrection  and  as- 
cension. The  first  preaching,  except  to  the  Jews, 
was  that  of  Philip  in  Samaria  (ch.  8:5);  the  first 
public  preaching  to  heathen,  that  mentioned  in 
the  next  verse. 

20,21.  Men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene.  That 
is,  natives ;  but  probably  Jewish  proselytes  Avho 
had  become  Christians.  Less  blinded  by  Jewish 
prejudice,  these  proselytes  were  more  ready  than 
the  Jewish  Christians  to  accept  the  doctrine  that 
the  Gospel  was  for  Gentile  as  well  as  Jew. 
Cyrene  was  a  city  of  Libya,  on  the  north  coast  of 
Africa.  For  description,  see  Matt.  27  :  32,  note. 
These  exiles  and  missionaries  traveled  both  north 
to  Phenice  and  south  and  west  to  Africa.  See 
map. — Spake  also  unto  the  Grecians.  Rath- 
er the  Greeks  (dXkipag,  not  lAJitpiaTds,  is  the  best 
reading;  see  Hackett  and  Alford).  Grecian  Jews 
cannot  be  meant,  for  the  Gospel  had  been  already 
preached  to  them,  and  they  were  a  recognized 
and  even  important  part  of  the  Christian  church 
at  Jerusalem  (ch.  6 : 1) ;  but  the  uncircumcised 
Greeks,  the  Gentiles,  in  opposition  to  the  '^Jen-S 
only''''  of  the  preceding  verse,  which  would  in- 
clude proselytes  as  well  as  Jews  by  birth. 
Whether  this  preaching  to  the  Gentiles  took 
place  prior  or  subsequent  to  Peter's  visit  to  Cor- 
nelius we  have  no  means  of  determining.  Ap- 
parently the  two  events,  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  there,  and  the  conversion  of  the  Gen- 
tiles here,  with  the  report  of  Barnabas  respecting 
it,  were  concurrent  and  nearly  contemporaneous 
events,  by  which  God's  providence  taught  the 
church  the  full  meaning  of  Christ's  commission 
in  Matt.  28  :  19  and  Acts  1  :  8.— Preaching  the 
Lord  Jesus.  That  is,  proclaiming  him  as  both 
Lord  of  all,  as  in  ch.  10  :  30,  and  Jesus,  i.  e.,  Sa- 
viour (Matt.  1 :  2j )  for  all ;  else  there  would  have 
been  no  significance  in  the  fact  stated  that  they 
proclaimed  him  to  the  Greeks. — The  hand  of 


Ch.  XI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


135 


of  the  church  which  was  in  Jerusalem :  and  they  sent 
forth  Barnabas,"  that  he  should  go  as  far  as  Aniioch. 

23  Who,  when  he  came,  and  had  seen  the  grace  of 
God,  was  glad,"  and  exhorted"  them  all,  that  with 
purpose  y  ot  *  heart  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord. 


24  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full"  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  faith :  and  ^  much  people  was  added  unto 
the  Lord. 

25  Then  "=  departed  Barnabas  to  Tarsus,  for  to  seek 
Saul : 


V  ch.  9  :  27. . . .w  3  John  4. . . .x  ch.  13  ;  43 ;    14  :  22 y  Pa.  17  :  3 ;   2  Cor.  1 

c  ch.  9  :  27,  80. 


17 z  Prov.  23  :  26 a  ch.  6  :  B b  yen 


the  Lord.  Comp.  Luke  1  :  66.  The  hand  is  a 
symbol  of  power  ;  here  probably,  as  iu  ch.  4  :  30, 
it  was  stretched  forth  to  heal,  thus  affording  a 
manifest  sign  of  Divine  approval  on  this  exten- 
sion of  the  evangelistic  work  to  the  Gentiles. — 
Turned  to  the  Lord.  That  is,  turned  from 
their  heathen  faith  and  practices,  and  accepted 
the  new  faith,  and  Christ  as  their  Lord.  This, 
no  less  than  the  miracles,  afforded  a  sign  of 
Divine  approval ;  for  though  success  is  not  al- 
ways a  proof  of  God's  approbation,  spiritual 
success  in  spiritual  work  always  is. 

22.  They  sent  forth  Barnabas.  It  is 
hardly  doubtful  what  the  object  of  this  commis- 
sion was.  The  Christians  at  Jerusalem  criticised 
Peter  for  eating  with  uncircumcised  heathen 
(ver.  3) ;  and  subsequently  Christians  from  Jeru- 
salem insisted  on  circumcision  as  a  condition  of 
admission  to  the  church  (ch.  15 : 1) ;  we  may  as- 
sume, therefore,  that  these  Jewish  Christians 
would  think  the  reception  of  Gentiles  as  Chris- 
tian converts  an  offence.  The  object  of  this 
mission,  then,  was  probably  to  inquire  into  the 
supposed  irregularity,  and  to  correct  it.  Yet  it 
is  a  noticeable  fact  that  they  sent  for  this  pur- 
pose not  a  Judean,  but  a  native  of  Cyprus, 
and  one  therefore  who  would  be  in  sympathy 
with  those  whose  errors  they  thought  required 
correction.  This  view  of  the  mission  of  Barna- 
bas is  confirmed  by  the  verses  which  follow.  It 
is  observable  that  not  an  apostle,  but  an  unofH- 
cial  member  of  the  church,  was  sent  on  this  mis- 
sion, being  selected  from  personal.,  not  offldal, 
considerations.  On  the  life  and  character  of 
Barnabas,  see  ch.  4  :  36,  note. — To  go  through 
(the  churches)  even  to  Antioch.  He  was  to 
make  a  pastoral  visitation  of  the  churches  be- 
tween Jerusalem  and  Antioch,  inquiring  into 
their  condition,  and  probably  reporting  results 
to  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

33,  24.  Who  when  he  came  and  had  seen 
the  grace  of  God.  In  the  conversion  of  the 
Gentiles. — Was  glad.  An  intimation  that  he  had 
doubted  whether  he  should  find  their  conversion 
genuine. — And  exhorted  them  all.  Gentiles 
as  well  as  Jews.  —  That  with  purpose  of 
heart.  Rather  consecration  of  heart.  The 
Greek  word  rendered  purpose  {7TQ69enic)  means 
literally  setting  forth,  and  is  used  to  designate 

the    SheW-bread    (Matt.  12  :  4;    Mark  2  :  26;    Luke  6  :  4) 

which  was  set  before  and  consecrated  to  the 
Lord.    Here  the  ^^ purpose  of  heart  ^^  is  a  heart 


similarly  set  before  God  by  being  wholly  conse- 
crated to  his  service. — They  would  cleave 
unto  the  Lord.  Continue  with  him  ;  abide  in 
him  (John  15 : 4).  For  meaning  of  the  Greek  word 
(mjonufvoj)  rendered  cleave,  see  Matt.  15  :  33 ; 
1  Tim.  1  :  3 ;  5  :  5. — For  he  was  a  good  man, 
etc.  This  explains  the  reason,  not  why  he  was 
sent  on  this  mission,  but  why,  in  its  execution, 
he  recognized  the  work  of  God  in  calling  and 
converting  the  uncircumcised.  He  was  kind  in 
disposition ;  the  inspiration  of  his  service  was 
not  ecclesiastical  pride  or  ambition,  but  love 
and  good-will  (for  this  use  of  uyudog,  see  Rom. 
5:7;  Titus  2:5);  full  of  and  ready  to  be  guided 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  of  faith  or  spiritual 
insight,  the  power  which  sees  the  things  that 
are  unseen  (Hob.  n  :  i),  and  hence  was  able  to  ap- 
preciate the  spiritual.  For  these  reasons  he 
accepted  the  grace  of  God,  literally  the  grace 
which  was  of  God  {Alford),  manifested  by  the 
spiritual  changes  wrought  in  the  character  of 
the  uncircumcised  Greeks,  as  an  evidence  of  the 
Divine  approval  which  far  outweighed  his  pre- 
conceived opinions  as  to  the  ecclesiastical  regu- 
larity of  the  proceedings.  The  lesson  for  us  is  that 
spiritual  results  are  always  to  be  accepted  with 
thanksgiving,  whatever  the  seeming  ecclesiastical 
irregularity  of  the  method,  and  that  they  will  be 
thus  accepted  by  those  whose  religion  is  one 
characteristically  of  faith  in  God  and  good-will 
toward  man. 

25,  26.  To  Tarsus  for  to  seek  Saul.  Con- 
vinced by  what  he  had  witnessed  that  the  door 
was  opened  by  the  providence  and  Spirit  of  God 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  and  recalling 
Saul's  commission  to  preach  it  to  the  Gentiles  (ch. 
9:15;  22 :  2i),  Bamabas,  who  had  brought  Saul  to 
the  apostles  after  his  conversion  (ch.  9 :  27),  and 
perhaps  had  known  him  before,  goes  now  to 
bring  him  to  Antioch,  to  carry  on  the  work  as- 
signed him  by  God.  The  date  is  uncertain ;  it 
was  of  course  some  time  subsequent  to  Saul's 
departure  from  Jerusalem  to  Tarsus  (ch.  9 :  30),  and 
therefore  more  than  three  years  subsequent  to 
his  conversion  (oai.  1 :  is).  Meanwhile  he  had  per- 
haps been  preaching  in  Cilicia  (oai.  1 21),  perhaps 
living  in  retirement,  and  devoting  his  time  to  the 
study  of  the  Word.  It  would  appear  from  ch. 
23  :  19,  as  well  as  from  his  course  immediately 
after  his  conversion  (ch.  9 :  20, 29),  that  he  at  first 
desired  to  carry  on  a  mission  among  his  own 
people,  the  Jews;  that  his  natural  sympathies 


136 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XL 


26  And  when  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him 
unto  Antioch.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole  year 
they  assembled  themselves  with  the  church,  and 
taught  <"  much  people.  And  the  disciples  were  called 
Christians  first  in  Antioch. 


27  And  in  these  days  came '  prophets  from  Jerusa- 
lem unto  Antioch. 

28  And  there  stood  up  one  of  them,  named  Agabus,' 
and  signified  by  the  Spirit  that  there  should  be  great 
dearth  throughout  all  the  world :  which  came  to  pass 
in  the  days  of  Claudius  Caesar. 


d  Matt.  38  :  19 e  ch.  2  :  IT  ;  13  : 1 ;  Ephes.  4:11 f  ch.  21  :  10. 


were  always  strong  is  clear  from  Phil.  3  :  5  and 
Rom.  9  : 1-5 ;  10  :  1,  and  that  he  entered  on  his 
mission  to  the  Gentiles  only  when  the  word  and 
providence  of  God  excluded  him  from  Israel  and 
opened  the  door  to  the  Gentile.  On  Tarsus,  see 
ch.  9  :  30,  note. — The  disciples  were  called 
Christians  first  in  Antioch.  The  word 
Christian  occurs  in  the  N.  T.  only  three  times ; 
here ;  in  Agrippa's  sarcastic  response  to  Paul, 
"Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian" 
(ch.  26 :  28) ;  and  in  1  Pet.  4  ;  16,  "If  any  man  suf- 
fer as  a  Christian."  The  use  of  the  term  in  the 
two  latter  passages,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  never 
Dsed  by  the  disciples  in  speaking  of  themselves, 
indicates  that  it  was  first  employed  as  a  term  of 
opprobium.  It  could  not  have  been  given  by 
the  Jews,  for  the  term  Christian  (anointed  one) 
was  one  of  honor  among  the  Jews,  by  whom  the 
disciples  were  known  as  the  "sect  of  the  Naza- 
renes  "  (ch.  24  :  5;  comp.  Matt.  2 :  23) ;  and  Julian  the 
Apostate  later  forbade  their  use  of  the  name 
Christian,  and  decreed  that  they  should  be  called 
Galileans.  The  inhabitants  of  Antioch  are  said 
to  have  been  notorious  for  employing  names  of 
derision ;  and  the  probability  is  that  this  name 
was  invented  by  the  heathen  of  that  city,  in  de- 
rision of  the  central  doctrine  of  the  new  sect, 
the  redemption  offered  through  Christ  Jesus, 
but  was  accepted  and  made  an  honored  name 
by  the  disciples.  So  the  words  Methodist  and 
Puritan  were  both  originated  as  terms  of  deri- 
sion, but  became  terms  of  honor.  •  Throughout 
the  N.  T.  Christians  are  called  "believers,"  "the 
faithful,"  "saints,"  "brethren,"  or  "disciples." 
27.  In  those  days.  Comparing  vers.  26  and 
pO,  it  was  evidently  during  the  year  which  Saul 
spent  at  Antioch  that  the  prophecy  of  Agabus 
was  uttered. — Came  prophets  from  Jerusa- 
lem. The  prophet  was  not  necessarily  a  fore- 
teller. The  Hebrew  word  is  derived  from  a  root 
signifying  to  boil  or  bubble  over,  and  simply 
conveys  the  idea  of  the  bursting  forth,  as  of  a 
fountain,  of  truth  with  which  God  has  inspired 
the  soul.  The  early  English  kept  tolerably  near 
this  original  idea.  Thus  Jeremy  Taylor,  in  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  wrote  a  treatise  on  the  Liber- 
ty of  Prophesying,  i.  e.,  of  preaching.  In  the 
classics  the  Greek  word  (nnocpilrrjc)  is  used  to 
describe  those  who  interpreted  the  unintelligible 
oracles,  and,  metaphorically,  the  poets  as  inter- 
preters of  the  gods  or  muses.  In  both  the  O.  T. 
and  the  N.  T.  the  prominent  idea  in  prophecy 


and  prophesying  is  not  prediction,  but  inspira- 
tion ;  not  telling  before  what  is  to  happen,  but 
delivering  messages  of  warning,  instruction,  com- 
fort, helpfulness,  such  as  are  commissioned  by 
or  given  under  the  inspiration  of  the  divine 
Spirit.  This  characteristic  of  prophecy  appears 
very  clearly  from  the  titles  given  to  the  prophets 
in  the  Scriptures.  He  is  called  "the  inter- 
preter," "the  messenger  of  Jehovah,"  "the 
man  of  Spirit,"  "the  man  of  God;"  and  it  is 
declared  that  the  "Spirit  of  Jehovah"  enters 
into  him,  or  "clothes  him,"  or,  as  here,  that  he 

speaks  "  by  the  Spirit  "  (judges  2  :  l ;  6  :  34,  margin  ;  1  Sam. 
2  :  27  ;  9:6;  1  Kings  12  :  22  ;  13:1,2;  1  Chron.  12  :  18  ;  2  Chron. 
24  :  20 ;  Ezelt.  2:2;  Hos.  9:7;  Hag.  1  :  13  ;  Mai.  1:1).      In  the 

N.  T.  Paul  gives  some  detailed  description  of 
prophesying,  which  is  distinguished  from  what 
we  should  call  preaching,  only  in  that  the  pres- 
ence and  power  of  God  is  perhaps  more  promi- 
nent (see  references  below).  Barnabas,  literally 
Son  of  prophecy,  is  rendered  rightly  "Son  of 
consolation"  (Acts 4: 36).  The  prophet  might  be 
of  either  sex  (2  Kings  22 :  14 ;  Acts  21 : 9).  The  other 
principal  references  in  the  N.  T.  to  prophets  and 
prophesying  are  the  following :  ch.  13  : 1 ;  15  :  32 ; 
19  : 6 ;  21 : 9, 10 ;  Rom.  12  : 6  ;  1  Cor.  12 :  10, 28,  29 ; 
13  :  2,  8 ;  14  :  6,  29-37  ;  Ephes.  2  :  20  ;  3  :  5 ;  4  :  11 ; 
1  Thess.  5  :  20.  The  coming  of  prophets,  i.  e., 
recognized  inspired  teachers  from  Jerusalem,  is 
an  indication  that  the  church  there  was  satis- 
fied with  and  approved  the  ministry  of  Barnabas 
and  Saul  to  the  uncircumcised. 

28,  29.  Named  Agabiis.  He  is  mentioned 
only  here  and  in  Acts  21  :  10.  Nothing  more  is 
known  of  him. — That  there  should  be  great 
dearth  throughout  the  world.  Not  through- 
out Palestine  merely,  but  throughout  the  then 
known  world  {oixovfiifi]),  including  certainly  the 
Greek  and  Roman,  as  well  as  the  Jewish  territory. 
See  Matt.  24  :  14,  note.  Josephus,  Dio  Cassius, 
and  Tacitus,  all  testify  to  the  fulfillment  of  this 
prophecy,  in  several  famines  during  the  reign  of 
Claudius  Caesar,  extending  not  only  throughout 
Judea,  but  also  throughout  Greece  and  Rome. 
Queen  Helena  of  Actiabene,  a  Jewish  proselyte, 
sent  subsidies  to  the  Jews,  on  the  occasion  of  one 
of  these,  which  Josephus  designates  as  "the 
great  famine."  Many  of  the  inhabitants  were 
swept  away  by  it.  These  famines  were  not  con- 
temporaneous, nor  does  this  prophecy  necessa- 
rily imply  that  they  would  be  so.  One  affected 
chiefly   Judea;    another,   Greece;   two   others, 


Ch.  XII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


137 


29  Theu  the  disciples,  every  man  according  to  his 
ability,  determined  to  sends  relief  unto  the  brethren 
which  dwelt  in  Judaea  : 

30  Which  also  they  did,  and""  sent  it  to  the  elders  by 
the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

NOW  about  that  time,  Herod  the  king  stretched 
forth  his  hands,  to  vex  certain  of  the  church. 
2  And  he  killed  James'  the  brother  of  John  with  the 
sword. 


g  Rom.  15  :  26  ;  1  Cor.  16  :  1 ;  2  Cor.  9:1,2 h  ch.  12  :  25 i  Matt.  4  :  21  j  20  :  23. 


Rome. — In  the   days  of  Claudius    Caesar. 

See  chronological  table  in  Introduction.  Clau- 
dius was  emperor  at  the  time  of  this  prophecy, 
and  the  famines  probably  succeeded  it  very 
closely.  This  is  indeed  implied  by  the  fact  that 
provisions  were,  apparently  immediately,  sent 
to  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem.  The  date  appears 
to  have  been  about  a.  d.  45. — Every  one  ac- 
cording to  his  ability.  Not  every  ma«.  Ob- 
serve the  two  elements  which  enter  into  Chris- 
tian charity :  every  one  shares ;  but  each  one 
grades  his  contribution  according  to  his  own 
pecuniary  ability.  Comp.  1  Cor.  IC  :  3.  It  is  indi- 
cated also  that  it  was  a  purely  voluntary  contri- 
bution ;  each  contributor  determining  for  him- 
self his  own  share ;  there  was  no  ecclesiastical 
or  priestly  assessment. — Unto  the  brethren 
which  dwell  in  Judea.  This  may  imply  that 
the  famine  for  which  they  were  providing  was 
that  which  especially  affected  Judea.  Antioch 
was,  however,  a  wealthy  commercial  city ;  in 
Jerusalem  the  wealth  was  probably  confined  to 
the  Pharisaic  &n^  priestly  party,  from  which  few  or 
no  converts  had  come  into  the  Christian  church. 
39.  To  the  elders.  The  affairs  of  each  Jew- 
ish synagogue  were  managed  by  a  college  of 
elders  (Matt.  4 :  23,  note)  resembling  the  modem  ses- 
sion or  classis ;  and  the  language  here  implies 
that  the  Christian  church  at  Jerusalem  was 
organized  in  a  similar  manner.  The  same  form 
of  organization  appears  to  have  been  adopted 

elsewhere   (ch.  20  :    n  ;    Titus  1   :  5  ;    1  Peter  5  :   1,  2)  ;   but 

whether  there  was  any  distinction  between  gov- 
erning and  preaching  elders,  such  as  is  now  main- 
tained in  the  Presbyterian  church,  is  a  disputed 
point.  It  is  evident  from  a  comparison  of  ch.  6  : 5 
with  ch,  6  :  10,  and  8  :  5,  that  if  this  distinction 
was  recognized,  it  was  not  rigorously  maintained, 
and  that  officers  in  the  church,  appointed  espe- 
cially for  the  administration  of  its  charities, 
assumed  without  hesitation  and  without  rebuke 
the  office  of  preachers  and  teachers.  —  By  the 
hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul.  The  Chris- 
tian church  at  Antioch,  the  regularity  of  whose 
organization  and  procedure  had  been  questioned, 
took  the  best  way  to  approve  to  the  church  at 
Jerusalem  the  genuineness  of  their  Christian 
character,  viz.,  a  practical  manifestation  of  their 
Christian  sympathy  and  love. 


Ch.   12  !   1-25.     PERSECUTIOX    BY  AND   DEATH   OF 
Herod  AGRIPPA.     Thb  twofold  omcE  and  work 


OP  ANGELS  ILLUSTRATED :  "  ThE  ANGEL  OP  THE  LORD 

encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him  "  (pt-. 
34  :  7).  "  Let  the  angel  op  the  Lord  persecute 
THEM  "  (Ps.  35  :  6).— The  power  op  prater  and  the 

WEAKNESS  OP  FAITH  ILLUSTRATED.— ThE  DIVINE  CON- 
DEMNATION OF  VANITY  AND  SELF-CONCEIT.— Thp  FOLLT 
OP  FIGHTING  AGAINST  GoD  ILLUSTRATED  IN  THE  DE- 
LIVERANCE OP  Peter  and  the  death  op  Herod. 

From  a  description  of  the  growth  of  the  church, 
Luke  turns  aside  to  indicate  the  resistance  which 
it  encountered,  exemplified  in  the  death  of  James 
and  the  imprisonment  and  threatened  death  of 
Peter.  This  was,  as  is  indicated  by  ver.  1,  contem- 
poraneous with  the  events  recorded  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  or  nearly  so  ;  the  time  of  the  year 
is  definitely  fixed  by  the  language  of  vers.  3  and 
4  as  the  spring ;  Josephus  fixes  the  date  of 
Herod's  death  as  A.  d,  44  (see  Conybeare  and 
Howson,  Vol.  II,  p.  544,  note  A) ;  the  date  of  the 
events  recorded  in  this  chapter  is  therefore 
March  or  April  a.  d.  44.  The  indications  are  that 
the  imprisonment  of  Peter  and  the  subsequent 
death  of  Herod  Agrippa  occurred  during  the  visit 
of  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  Jerusalem  (ch.  ii  :  so) 
and  prior  to  their  return  to  Antioch  (ch.  12 :  25). 
The  minute  details  in  the  narrative, — the  num- 
ber and  arrangement  of  the  watch  (ver.  4),  Peter's 
adjustment  of  his  dress  (ver.  s),  his  exit  and  his 
own  personal  feeling  (verses  9, 11),  and  the  name  of 
the  damsel  that  came  to  the  door  (verses  12,  is),  indi- 
cate that  Luke  derived  his  information  from  Peter 
himself.  On  the  twofold  office  of  angels,  as  indi- 
cated in  this  account,  the  reader  wiU  do  well  to 
examine  the  following  passages.  On  angels  as 
messengers  to  and  guardians  of  God's  people. 
Gen.  19  : 1,  etc.;  1  Kmgs  19  :  5,  7 ;  2  Kings  6  :  17 ; 
Ps.  91  :  11,  12 ;  Dan.  3  :  25,  28 ;  6  :  32 ;  Matt. 
18  :  10,  note  ;  Acts  5  :  19,  20 ;  10  :  3  ;  27  :  23.  On 
angels  as  ministers  of  God's  judgments,  Gen. 
3  :  24 ;  2  Sam.  24  :  16 ;  2  Kings  19  :  35  ;  Ps. 
78  :  49 ;  Rev.,  chaps.  7,  8,  9,  15. 

1,  2.  About  that  time.  That  is,  about  the 
same  time  as  the  visit  of  Paul  and  Barnabas 
referred  to  in  the  closing  verses  of  the  preceding 
chapter. — Herod  the  king.  Herod  Agrippa.  He 
was  a  grandson  of  Herod  the  Great,  and  father  of 
the  Agrippa  mentioned  in  chaps.  25  and  26 ;  was 
brought  up  at  the  court  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius ; 
received  from  the  Emperor  Caligula  the  tetrar- 
chies  of  Philip  and  Lysanias ;  won  the  title  of 
king  ;  subsequently  the  tetrarchy  of  Antipas  was 
added  to  his  dominions ;  and  finally  by  Claudius 


138 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XII. 


3  And  because  he  saw  it  pleased  J  tlie  Jews,  he  pro- 
ceeded further  to  take  1  eter'' also.  (Then  were  the 
days'  of  unleavened  bread.) 

4  And  when  he  had  apprehended  him,  he  put  him  In 


prison,  and  delivered  him  to  four  quaternions  of  sol- 
diers, to  keep  him  ;  intending  after  Easter  to  bring  him 
forth  to  the  people. 
5  Peter  therefore  was  kept  in  prison :   but  prayer 


j  ch.  24  :  27 k  John  21  :  18 1  Exod.  12  :  14, 15. 


he  was  set  over  the  whole  territory  that  had  for- 
merly been  subject  to  the  rule  of  Herod  the 
Great.  He  assiduously  cultivated  the  good-will 
of  the  Jews.  He  was  an  Idumean  by  birth,  and 
a  Roman  by  education,  and  excessively  luxuri- 
ous in  his  personal  tastes,  so  that  he  introduced 
into  Jerusalem  theatres,  and  amphitheatres,  and 
games,  and  gladiatorial  spectacles ;  but  he  was 
also,  both  from  policy  and  from  a  certain  senti- 
ment of  superstitious  reverence,  ardently  at- 
tached to  the  Jewish  ceremonial,  and  regular  in  his 
offering  of  sacrifices  in  the  Temple.  Thus  his  two- 
fold character  accords  with  his  course  here  ;  he 
would  be  naturally  hostile  to  a  faith  which  was 
subversive  of  Judaism,  ready  to  conciliate  Jewish 
favor  by  persecuting  its  adherents,  and  quick  to 
accept  the  deification  proffered  him  by  the  multi- 
tude. For  some  account  of  the  Herodian  family, 
see  Vol.  I,  pp.  58,  59 ;  for  a  condensed  life  of  Herod 
Agrippa,  see  Lewin's  St.  Paul,  ch.  7. — To  mal- 
treat. Vex,  in  its  ordinary  signification,  is  not  ade- 
quate as  a  translation  of  the  original  Greek,  which 


is  interpreted  by  the  account  which  follows,  of  his 
slaying  of  James  and  imprisonment  of  Peter. — 
James  the  brother  of  John.  He  was  prob- 
ably own  cousin  to  our  Lord  ;  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  James  the  Lord's  brother,  the  prob- 
able author  of  the  Epistle  of  James.  On  the  life 
and  character  of  this  apostle,  of  whom  very  little 
is  known,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  148. — With  the  sword. 
That  is,  by  beheading.  This  was  accounted  a 
specially  disgraceful  mode  of  punishment  among 
the  Jews.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  this  James 
asked  for  a  first  place  in  Christ's  kingdom,  and 
declared  in  response  to  Christ's  questioning, 
that  he  was  able  to  drink  of  Christ's  cup  and  be 
baptized  with  Christ's  baptism  (Mark  lo :  ss-sg) ;  and 
that  he  was  the  first  apostle  to  suffer  a  martyr's 
death,  and  the  only  apostle  of  whose  death  the 
N.  T.  gives  us  any  account.  It  is  also  noteworthy 
that  Luke,  who  gives  a  full  account  of  the  circum- 
stances of  Stephen's  death,  sums  up  that  of 
James,  the  apostle,  in  a  single  sentence.  We 
may  safely  assume  that  if  his  death  had  been 


ORIENTAL   PRISON. 


accompanied  by  any  such  ministry  of  the  word, 
or  any  such  gracious  revelation  of  the  Master  in 
heaven  waiting  to  receive  his  apostle,  it  would 
have  been  recorded,  and,  with  Baumgarten,  that 
"James,  the  very  reverse  of  Stephen,  met  his 
bloody  end  quite  like  an  ordinary  being,  without 
any  special  or  singular  signs  accompanying  it." 
It  is  not  the  manner  of  our  death,  but  the  spirit 
of  our  life  which  affords  the  true  test  of  our  dis- 
cipleship. 

3,  4.  And  seein;?  that  it  pleased  the 
JeAVS.  The  implication  is  that  the  slaying  of 
James  was  instigated  rather  by  state  policy  than 
by  any  personal  religious  participation  in  their 


zea]  against  the  new  faith. — Then  were  the 
days  of  unleavened  bread.  The  passover. 
It  was  not  lawful,  under  Jewish  rules,  to  put  to 
death  during  this  feast.  Peter,  therefore,  was 
kept  in  custody  until  the  festival  should  have 
passed,  when  he  was  to  be  brought  forth  for  pub- 
lic execution.— In  prison.  The  accompanying 
illustration  gives  the  reader  a  good  idea  of  the 
modem  Oriental  prison,  which,  probably,  in  its 
general  character,  resembles  that  of  ancient 
times.  It  is  usually  connected  with  the  gover- 
nor's house  ;  the  prisoners  are  allowed  the  free- 
dom of  the  yard  by  day ;  the  guards  sit  about 
armed,  and  often  conversing  with  their  prison- 


Ch.  XIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


139 


was  made  without  ceasing  of  the  church  unto  God  for 
him. 

6  And  when  Herod  would  have  brought  him  forth, 
the  same  night  Peter  was  sleeping  between  two  sol- 
diers, bound  with  two  chains;  and  the  keepers  before 
the  door  kept  the  prison. 

7  And,  behold,  the  angel™  of  the  Lord  came  upon 
himy  and  a  light  shined  m  the  prison ;  and  he  smote 


Peter  on  the  side,  and  raised  him  up,  saying.  Arise  up 
quickly.     And  "  his  chains  fell  off  from  his  hands. 

8  And  the  angel  said  unto  him,  Gird  thyself,  and 
bind  on  thy  sandals:  and  so  he  did.  And  he  saith  unto 
him.  Cast  thy  garment  about  thee,  and  follow  me. 

9  And  he  went  out,  and  followed  him ;  and  wist  not  " 
that  it  was  true  which  was  done  by  the  angel  ;  but 
thought  he  saw  a  vision.P 


m  ch.  5  :  19 ;  Ps.  37  :  32,  33 . . 


Ps.  126  :  1 p  ch.  10  :  3,  17. 


ers.  People  come  and  go,  bringing  provisions. 
Prisoners  of  state  are  sometimes  cliained  to 
their  guards. — Four  quaternions  of  sol- 
diers. A  quaternion  is  a  guard  of  four  soldiers ; 
two  liept  watcli  witliin  the  prison-yard,  two  be- 
fore the  gate  leading  out  into  the  street.  These 
are  the  iirst  and  second  ward  referred  to  in  ver. 
10.  The  night  was  divided  into  four  watches 
(Mark  13 :  35)  and  each  quaternion  took  one  watch. 
— After  Easter.  After  the  Passover,  i.  e.,  the 
last  day  of  the  Passover.  Easter  celebrates  the 
resurrection  of  our  Lord,  which  took  place  dur- 
ing the  Passover  week,  which  lasted  from  14th 
to  21st  Nisan  ;  the  phrase  has  been  improperly 
used  here  by  our  translators,  in  order  to  desig- 
nate to  the  English  reader  the  real  time  of  the 
occurrence.  The  word  so  rendered  is  every- 
where else  in  the  N.  T.  translated  Passover. 

5.  But  earnest  prayer  Avas  made.  Not 
without  ceasing,  a  meaning  which  the  Greek  will 
not  bear.  For  significance,  see  Luke  23 ;  44,  where 
the  original  is  the  same.  The  object  of  their 
prayer  is  generally  assumed  to  have  been  the 
deliverance  of  Peter  ;  the  Lord  had  before  deliv- 
ered him  out  of  prison  (ch.  5 :  18-20),  and  this  fact 
may  well  have  awakened  the  hopes  of  the  disci- 
ples. But  as  help  delayed  to  come,  hope  grew 
less ;  that  they  did  not  really  expect  his  deliver- 
ance is  evident  from  their  surprise  at  his  appear- 
ance (ver.  15).  Probably  anticipating  the  death  of 
Peter  to  follow  that  of  James,  their  prayer  was 
that  he  might  be  rescued  if  it  was  the  Lord's 
will,  otherwise  that  he  might  be  strengthened 
to  sufEer  and  die  for  him.  Remembering  how 
before  he  had  denied  his  Lord,  the  disciples  may 
well  have  been  intense  in  their  prayer  for  divine 
grace  to  sustain  him  now.  The  trial  of  his  faith 
in  this  imprisonment  and  waiting  was  especially 
severe  to  a  man  of  Peter's  impetuous  disposition, 
who  could  dare  much,  but  by  nature  endure  but 
little. 

G.  And  when  Herod  was  about  to  bring 
him  forth,  that  same  nis^ht.  That  is,  the 
night  before  he  was  expecting  to  bring  him  forth 
for  execution. — Peter  Avas  sleeping.  An  in- 
dication, when  coupled  with  his  subsequent  his- 
tory, of  his  trust  in  God,  and  of  his  steadfast 
purpose.  If  he  had  been  divided  in  mind  be- 
tween the  purpose  of  fidelity  and  the  desire  of 
personal  safety,  he  would  not  have  slept.   Comp. 


Psalm  127  :  2  :  "He  giveth  his  beloved  sleep  ; " 
and,  in  illustration  of  this  promise,  Psalms  3:5; 
4  :  8.  Comp.,  too,  the  experience  of  Paul  and 
Silas  in  prison  at  Philippi  (ch.  le :  25). — Bound 
with  two  chains.  Probably  to  the  two  sol- 
diers.   It  was  the  custom  to  chain  the  prisoner  to 

his  guard  (see  ch.  28  ;  16,  20  ;    Josephus'  Ant.  18  :  fr-s)  ;    the 

chains  resembled  our  own  except  in  the  handcuff. 
The  accompanying  illustration  represents  some 
links  of  an  ancient  chain,  now  preserved  as  a  sacred 
relic  in  the  church  of  S.  Pletro  in  Vinodis  (St.  Peter 


LINKS   OF   AN   ANCIENT    CHAIN. 

in  chains)  at  Rome  ;  it  is  said  to  be  the  identical 
one  with  which  Peter  was  chained  in  Rome.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  credit  this  legend  in  order  to 
recognize  in  the  chain  a  valuable  antique,  indi- 
cating the  kind  used  in  ancient  times. — The 
keepers  before  the  door  kept  the  prison. 
The  other  two  soldiers.  The  door  here  is  prob- 
ably the  gate  leading  out  iuto  the  street  from  the 
inner  court-yard,  around  which  the  prison  was 
built. 

7-9.  An  angel  of  the  Lord.  T^ot  the  amgel, 
which  always  designates  one  and  the  same  person, 
viz.,  Jesus  Christ  himself,  the  angel  of  the  cove- 
nant (Numb.  22  :  23  ;  Judges  6  :  12  ;  1  Chron.  21  :  15-30).  For  illus- 
tration of  angels  as  messengers  of  the  Lord — in 
the  O.  T.  sometimes  messengers  of  wrath,  but  in 
the  N.  T.,  except  in  Revelation,  always  harbingers 
of  mercy — see  Matt.  1  :  20 ;  2  :  13  ;  Luke  1  :  11, 
26  ;.2  : 9 ;  Acts  5  :  19 ;  10  : 3  ;  27  :  23,— Stood  by. 
Peter  did  not  see  him  coming ;  but,  roused  out 
of  his  sleep,  beheld  him  present. — In  the  pris- 
on. Rather  in  the  chamber  ;  not  throughout  the 
whole  prison,  but  in  the  room  where  Peter  was 
sleeping.  The  word  here  is  not  the  same  as  that 
rendered  prison  above. — He  smote  Peter  on 
the  side.    This,  and  the  direction  to  gird  him- 


140 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XII. 


10  When  they  were  past  the  first  and  the  second 
ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron  gate  that  leadeth  unto 
the  city,  which  opened  to  them  of  his  own  accord  ;  and 
they  went  out,  and  passed  on  through  one  street ;  and 
forthwith  the  angel  departed  from  him. 

11  And  when  Peter  was  come  to  himself,  he  said, 
Now  I  know  of  a  surety,  that  the  Lord  hath  senti  his 


angel,  and  hath'  delivered  me  out  of  the  hand  of  Her- 
od, and  from  all  the  expectation  of  the  people  of  the 
Jews. 

12  And  when  he  had  considered  the  things  he  came 
to  the  house  of  Mary  the  mother  of  John,  whose  sur- 
name was  Mark  ;  where  many'  were  gathered  togeth- 
er, praying. 


q  SChron.  16  :  9  ;  Ps.  34  :  7  j  Dan.  3  :  28  ;  6:22;  Heb.  1  :14....r  Pe.  33  :  18,  19  ;  97  :  10;  2  Cor.  1  :  10;  2  Pet.  2  :  9.. ..8 


self,  etc.,  in  the  next  verse,  was  to  arouse  Peter, 
to  convince  him  that  it  was  not  a  dream,  and  to 
leave  in  his  recollection  a  testimony  of  the  reality 
of  the  angelic  appearance.  So  Christ  bade  the 
disciples  touch  him,  to  satisfy  themselves  that  he 
was  really  in  bodily  presence  with  them  (Luke 
24: 39 ;  John  20 :  20, 27).— Raised  him.  Assistcd  him 
to  rise,  partly  as  a  further  means  of  arousing 
him  and  bringing  him  to  himself. — Gird  thy- 
self. The  girdle  had  been  loosed  for  sleeping ; 
he  was  now  to  put  on  the  girdle  as  a  preparation 
for  going  forth.— And  bind  on  thy  sandals. 
For  illustration  of  sandals,  see  Vol.  I.,  p.  36;i. 
The  sandal,  which  did  not  cover  the  foot,  but 
was  simply  a  sole  of  wood  or  leather  underneath 
the  foot,  was  bound  on  to  it  by  straps  or  thongs 
of  leather  in  a  manner  analogous  to  that  of  a 
skate  in  modern  times. — Cast  thy  cloak  about 
thee.  This  cloak  ((utinov)  was  an  outer  gar- 
ment, a  sort  of  shawl  or  blanket  used  as  a  cloak 
by  day  and  a  covering  by  night.  For  illustration 
and  description,  see  Vol.  I.,  p.  261.  This  had 
been  Peter's  covering  ;  he  was  to  wrap  it  about 
him  as  a  protection  in  going  out  into  the  night 
air.  These  directions  all  indicate  a  certain  de- 
gree of  leisure,  and  also  the  completeness  of  his 
deliverance.  He  not  only  escapes  himself,  he 
leaves  no  article  of  his  attire  behind  him. — 
Thoug:ht  he  saw  a  vision.  Its  reality  seemed 
incredible  ;  he  was  in  a  maze  ;  it  appeared  as  a 
dream,  or  a  divine  revelation  of  something  yet 
to  come,  like  that  vouchsafed  to  him  when 
praying  on  the  housetop  at  Joppa  (ch.  lo  -.  10-17). 
Evidently  this  report  of  his  own  tho-iujhts  must 
have  come  from  himself. 

10.  And  passing  through  the  first  guard 
and  the  second.  That  is,  passing  between  the 
two  soldiers  who  lay  sleeping  at  his  side,  and 
between  the  other  two  who  guarded  the  outer 
gate,  but  were  within  it.  This  seems  to  me  the 
most  natural  meaning.  Alford  concludes  that 
the  "  first  guard  "  cannot  be  the  one  to  which  he 
was  chained,  because  in  the  preceding  verse  it 
says  he  "  went  out."  But  it  does  not  necessarily 
follow  that  the  passing  of  the  guard  here  men- 
tioned was  subsequent  to  that  going  out.  This 
verse  simply  adds  details  descriptive  of  the 
going  out. — The  iron  gate  that  leadeth  unto 
the  city.  It  is  probable  that  the  prison  was 
within  the  city,  and  the  gate  here  referred  to  was 
the  one  leading  from  the  prison  court-yard  out 


into  the  street.  "The  gates  are  large,  massive, 
and  two-leaved,  built  of  heavy  timber,  plated 
with  iron.  A  strong  iron  bar,  hooked  at  one  end, 
hangs  from  a  heavy  ring  of  the  same  metal,  made 
fast  in  a  strong  post,  built  into  the  wall  behind 
each  fold  of  the  gate.  When  the  gate  is  closed, 
the  hooks  are  set  into  other  iron  rings,  on  the  back 
of  its  folds,  enabling  the  gate  to  resist  a  very 
heavy  pressure  from  without.  The  lock  is  mas- 
sive and  of  wrought  iron,  and  the  long-handled, 
ponderous  key  is  carried  by  the  keeper  of  the 
gate  in  his  belt,  or  hung  from  a  nail  in  his  little 
room  close  by."  This  description  of  the  gate 
of  an  Eastern  city,  from  Van  Lennep's  Bible 
Lands^  represents  the  probable  structure  of  this 
outer  prison  gate. — Opened  to  them  of  his 
own  accord.  That  is,  without  the  action  of 
either  the  angel  or  Peter ;  it  was  opened  by  an 
invisible  power.  In  ch.  5  :  19-23,  the  prison  doors 
were  closed  afterward  and  fastened  securely. 
Whether  that  was  the  case  here  is  uncertain. — 
Through  one  street.  The  angel  still  guiding 
him,  partly,  perhaps,  to  give  him  assurance  and 
enable  him  to  come  to  a  full  sense  of  the  deliver- 
ance which  had  been  wrought. — And  imme- 
diately the  angel  departed  from  him. 
Having  no  further  service  to  render  Peter,  and 
without  waiting  for  his  thanks. 

11,  12.  And  when  Peter  was  come  to 
himself.  Fully  come  to  a  consciousness  of 
what  had  occurred  and  where  he  was.  "He  was 
before  in  the  half  consciousness  of  one  who  is 
dreaming,  and  knows  that  it  is  a  dream ;  except 
that,  in  his  case,  the  dream  was  the  truth,  and  his 
supposition  the  unreality." — (Alford.)  —  And 
hath  delivered  me.  This  deliverance  may  be 
rightfully  regarded  as  a  symbol  of  divine  redemp- 
tion in  that  it  is  by  one  whom  the  Lord  hath  sent, 
is  afforded  to  those  in  captivity  and  without  hope, 
and  ransoms  from  the  king  and  kingdom  of  evil 
and  from  death.— And  when  he  had  consid- 
ered. Either,  what  had  already  occurred  (^4/- 
ford,  Hdckett),  or,  what  he  would  next  do,  or 
both.— He  came  to  the  house  of  Mary  the 
mother  of  John,  whose  surname  was 
Mark.  She  is  mentioned  only  here  ;  but  we 
learn  from  Col.  4  :  10,  that  she  was  avjit  (not  sis- 
ter) to  Barnabas  (see  note  there).  It  IS  surmiscd  that 
when  Barnabas  sold  his  land  for  the  benefit  of 
the  church,  she  opened  her  house  to  be  used  as 
one  of  its  chief  places  of  meeting.    Tradition 


Ch.  XIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


141 


13  And  as  Peter  knocked  at  the  door  of  the  gate,  a 
damsel  came  to  hearken,  named  Rhoda. 

14  And  when  she  knew  Peter's  voice,  she  opened 
not  the  gate  for  gladness,  but  ran  in,  and  told  how  Pe- 
ter stood  before  the  gate. 

15  And  they  said  unto  her,  Thou  art  mad.  But  she 
constantly  affirmed  that  it  was  even  so.  Then  said 
they,  It  is  his'  angel. 


16  But  Peter  continued  knocking:  and  when  they 
had  opened  the  door,  and  saw  him,  they  were  aston- 
ished. 

17  But  he,  beckoning  <"  unto  them  with  the  hand,  to 
hold  their  peace,  declared' unto  them  how  the  Lord 
had  brought  him  out  of  the  prison.  And  he  said.  Go, 
shew  these  things  unto  James,  and  to  the  brethren. 
And  he  departed,  and  went  into  another  place. 


t  Gen.  48  :  16  ;  Matt.  18  :  10 . 


chaps.  13  :  16  ;  19  :  33  ;  21  :  40 1 


fixed  the  site  as  on  the  upper  slope  of  Zion,  and 
aflirmed  that  the  building,  saved  from  the  gen- 
eral destruction  at  the  capture  of  Jerusalem  by 
Titus,  was  still  used  as  a  church  in  the  fourth 
century.  She  is  here  designated  as  the  mother 
of  John,  not  only  to  distinguish  her  from  other 
Marys,  but  because  it  was  a  common  practice 
among  the  Hebrews,  as  it  still  is  among  the  Arabs, 
to  entitle  parents  by  their  children,  and  women 
by  the  father  or  husband  (oen.  ii :  29;  isam.  is:  20; 

25  :44 ;  2  Sam.  17  :  25  ;  John  2  :  l).     Johu  iS  Hebrew,  Mark 

(Marcus)  is  Latin.  The  person  is  doubtless  the 
author  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark  ;  he  was  converted 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Peter  (i  Pet.  5 :  13). 
On  his  life,  see  Introduction  to  Mark,  Vol.  I, 
p.  337. — Gathered  together  praying.  For 
Peter,  but  not  necessarily  for  his  release.  See 
ver.  5,  note. 

13-16.  At  the  door  of  the  gate.  For  plan 
of  Jewish  house,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  303.  It  was  built 
around  an  open  court-yard ;  the  entrance  into 
this  court-yard  was  closed  by  a  heavy  gate,  in 
which  was  a  small  wicket  for  single  persons. 
The  porter,  answering  to  the  French  cmiciei-ge, 
was  often  a  maid-servant  (comp.  John  is :  n).  The 
language  here  all  indicates  that  the  house  of 
Mary  was  one  of  some  size,  and  she  a  woman  in 
at  least  comfortable,  if  not  affluent  circum- 
stances. The  verb  rendered  to  hearken  is  one 
used  in  the  classics  to  signify  an  answer  to  a 
knock  or  call  at  the  door.  —  And  knowing 
Peter's  voice.  An  indication  that  Peter  had 
before  been  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  house.  Her 
gladness  indicates  that  she  shared  the  anxiety  of 
the  disciples  for  him,  and  perhaps  his  kindness 
and  consideration  for  one  who  occupied  the  infe- 
rior station  of  a  portress.  His  epistle  indicates 
sympathy  with  servants  and  an  appreciation  of 
their  peculiar  trials  (1  Pet.  2 :  18-20),  The  minuteness 
of  the  narrative  here  indicates  that  Luke's  infor- 
mant was  an  eye  and  ear  witness  ;  I  believe  him 
to  have  been  Peter  himself.  See  above  on  verses 
9-11.  Rhoda  is  not  again  mentioned  in  the  N.  T. 
— It  is  his  angel.  Not,  A  messenger  from  him; 
for  though  the  ^Greek  word  (uyytAo?)  has  some- 
times the  signification  of  a  human  messenger 

(Mark  1:2;   Luke  7  :  27  ;   9  :  52 ;    James  2  :  25),  it   iS   rarely 

used  in  this  sense,  and  the  construction  of  the 
sentence  in  the  original  would  have  been  different 
if  so  used  here  ;  it  would  have  been,  not  his  mes- 
senger {ayYtlog  ixvtov),  but,  a  messenger  from  him 


(uyytio?  arto  dvrov),  Nor  can  we  render  the  words 
his  ghost  or  spirit,  for  the  word  translated  a7igel 
never  has  this  meaning  in  the  N.  T.,  for  which 
a  different  Greek  word  {Ttvivuu  or  (puiTuoitu) 
is  used.  The  Jews  believed,  not  only  in  the  doc- 
trine of  angelic  communications  with  men,  which 
is  plainly  confirmed  by  Scripture,  but  also  that 
each  individual  had  his  own  special  guardian 
angel,  who  sometimes  assumed  the  appearance 
and  the  voice  of  the  person  himself.  See  Light- 
foot   on    this    passage.       Matt.  18  :  10  (see  note  there) 

lends  some  confirmation  to  the  doctrine  of  spe- 
cial guardian  angels  ;  but  it  cannot  be  deduced 
from  the  language  here,  since  we  do  not  know 
who  were  the  speakers,  nor  whether  their  expres- 
sion implies  anything  more  than  their  own  accep- 
tance of  a  common,  but  possibly  false,  belief ; 
and  while  the  doctrine  of  guardian  angels  is 
clearly  implied  by  our  Lord  s  language  in  Mat- 
thew, and  by  angelic  appearances  in  both  the 
O.  T.  and  the  N.  T.,  it  cannot  with  safety  be  con- 
cluded from  any  Scriptural  teaching,  that  each 
individual  has  a  special  angel  assigned  to  him. — 
But  having  opened  (the  door),  they  saw 
him  and  were  astonished.  The  implication 
is  that  the  party,  or  at  least  several  of  them,  went 
to  and  opened  the  door.  If  their  prayer  was  for 
Peter's  liberation,  their  astonishment  indicates 
how  small  was  their  expectation  of  an  answer. 
How  often  are  we  astonished  at  an  aflSrmative 
reply  to  even  our  most  earnest  and  hopeftil 
prayers ! 

17.  But  he  motioned  nnto  them  with 
his  hand  to  keep  silence.  The  tumult  of 
their  joy,  and  the  confusion  of  their  congratula- 
tion and  questioning,  was  such  that  he  could  not 
at  first  make  himself  heard.  This,  rather  than 
a  fear  of  being  overheard,  and  so  attracting  the 
attention  of  his  enemies  and  theirs,  was  the  rea- 
son for  desiring  their  silence. — Go  shew  these 
things  unto  James,  and  to  the  brethren. 
The  James  here  mentioned  is  not  the  apostle  of 
that  name,  who  had  already  been  put  to  death 
(ver.  2),  but  the  ouc  kuowu  as  the  Lord's  brother 
(Gal.  1 :  19),  who  appears  to  have  occupied  a  posi- 
tion of  prominence  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem 

(ch.  15  :  13 ;  21  :  13  ;  Gal.  2  :  9,  12),  and  whom  I  bcliCVe  tO 

be  one  of  the  brethren  of  the  Lord  mentioned  in 
Matt.  13  :  55 ;  John  7:5;  Acts  1  :  U ;  1  Cor. 
9  :  5.  Whether  he  was  a  real  brother  or  a  cousin 
of  our  Lord,  is  one  of  the  disputed  questions  in 


143 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIL 


18  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  there  was  no  small 
stir  among  the  soldiers,  what  was  become  of  Peter. 

19  And  when  Herod  had  sought  for  him,  and  found 
him  not,  he  examined  the  keepers,  and  commanded 
that  they  should  be  put  to  death.  And  he  went  down 
from  Judaea  to  Csesarea,  and  there  abode. 

20  And  Herod  was  highly  displeased  with  them  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon ;  but  they  came  with  one  accord  to 


him,  and,  having  made  Blastus  the  king's  chamber- 
lain, their  friend,  desired  peace  ;  because  their"  coun- 
try was  nourished  by  the  king's  country. 

21  And  upon  a  set  day,  Herod,  arrayed  in  royal 
apparel,  sat  upon  his  throne,  and  made  an  oration  unto 
them. 

22  And  the  people  gave  a  shout,  saying.,  It  is  ==  the 
voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man. 


w  1  Kings  5  :  9,  11 ;  Ezek.  27  ;  17 x  Jude  16. 


Biblical  criticism  ;  I  believe  the  former  opinion 
to  be  clearly  the  only  one  consonant  with  Scrip- 
ture. See  note  on  Brethren  of  the  Lord,  Vol.  I, 
p.  187.  The  disciples  were  to  report  the  facts  to 
James,  probably  as  pastor  of  the  church  at  Jeru- 
salem and  a  recognized  leader  in  the  churches  of 
Judea.  Peter's  enforced  exile  would  debar  him 
from  exercising  the  same  influence  within  the 
kingdom  of  Herod  Agrippa  which  he  had  done 
theretofore.  —  And  he  departed  and  went 
into  another  place.  The  place  is  not  men- 
tioned, partly,  perhaps,  because  there  may  have 
been  reasons,  even  at  the  time  of  the  first  publi- 
cation of  Luke's  account,  for  keeping  concealed 
the  names  of  those  who  harbored  Peter  and 
aided  his  escape,  and  partly  because  it  was  no 
part  of  Luke's  purpose  to  trace  further  Peter's 
personal  history.  He  subsequently  returned  to 
Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  the  council  (ch.  15 : 7), 
probably  afterward  went  to  Antioch  (Gal.  2 :  11-14). 
He  preached  the  Gospel  in  the  East,  going  as  far 
as  Babylon  (1  Peter  5 :  13),  and  from  1  Cor.  1  :  2  is 
thought  to  have  preached  it  also  in  Greece,  as 
far  west  as  Corinth,  in  confirmation  of  which  are 
early  and  apparently  trustworthy  traditions.  If 
he  ever  visited  Rome,  which  is  uncertain,  it  may 
be  considered  as  settled  that  his  visit  followed 
that  of  Paul,  and  did  not  take  place  till  near  the 
end  of  his  own  life. 

18,  19.  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day, 
there  was  no  small  stir.  As  the  guard  was 
changed  four  times  in  the  night  (ver.  4,  note),  the 
presumption  is  that  Peter's  escape  was  in  the 
morning  watch ;  otherwise  it  would  have  been 
discovered  before  the  break  of  day,  at  the 
change  of  guards  following  the  escape.  And 
this  indicates  the  earnestness  of  the  disciples, 
who  continued  all  night  in  prayer.  —  They 
should  be  put  to  death.  Not,  probably,  all 
the  guards,  but  the  two  who  were  especially  in 
charge  of  Peter,  and  to  whom  he  had  been 
chained  (ver.  e).  The  guards  under  Roman  law 
were  held  to  a  strict  accountability  for  the  safe- 
keeping of  their  prisoners ;  hence  the  jailer  at 
Philippi  would  have  killed  himself  when  he 
thought  his  prisoners  had  escaped  (ch.  16  :  27). 
Here  the  implication  is  that  the  guards  were 
sleeping,  and  therefore  really  culpable,  though 
they  could  not,  if  awake,  have  prevented  the 
escape  of  their  prisoner. — From  Judea  to  Cse- 
sarea, and  abode  there.    Caesarea  Palestinae, 


on  the  Mediterranean  coast ;  for  illustration  and 
description,  see  ch.  8  :  40,  note.  It  was  the 
military  headquarters  of  the  Roman  governors, 
Herod's  usual  residence  was  in  Jerusalem ;  he 
went  to  CtBsarea  to  preside  at  the  public  games 
in  honor  of  the  emperor  Claudius  (jos.  Ant.  is :  8, 2). 
Ahode  (J(aio/,5'(u)  signifies  not  that  he  made  it 
his  permanent  residence,  but  that  he  went  there 
to  spend  some  time. 

20.  Herod  was  highly  displeased  with 
them  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Not  engaged  in 
open  war  with  them ;  for,  though  the  original 
Greek  {^viioua/wi)  is  capable  of  this  meaning, 
Tyre  and  Sidon  were  in  the  Roman  Empire,  and 
an  open  war  between  two  Roman  provinces  would 
not  have  been  allowed.  They  were  commercial 
cities  of  importance  and  renown  ;  not  improbably 
the  quarrel  arose  out  of  commercial  rivalry  be- 
tween them  and  Caesarea,  also  a  harbor  of  impor- 
tance, but  a  comparatively  modern  city.  On  their 
history,  see  Matt.  11  :  21,  note.  Of  the  quarrel 
here  referred  to,  secular  history  makes  no  men- 
tion; nothing  more  is  known  of  it. — Blastus 
the  king's  chamberlain.  Mentioned  only 
here.  His  oflace  is  indicated  by  the  original, 
which  describes  him  as  over  the  king'' s  chamber 
{inl  tov  xoirtxJrog  tuv  (iaai^-icDc).  He  was  a 
servant  who  had  the  charge  of  his  master's 
sleeping  apartment,  and,  to  some  extent,  of  his 
person ;  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  intro- 
ducing visitors  to  him ;  usually  remained  for 
this  purpose  in  an  ante-room  during  the  hours 
when  the  king  received  guests ;  was  often  a 
person  of  high  rank,  and  always  maintained  a 
peculiarly  confidential  relation  to  the  king  or 
chief  person  whom  he  served. — Because  their 
country  was  nourished  by  the  king's.  Tyre 
and  Sidon  depended  chiefly  on  Palestine  for  their 
bread-stuffs.     See  1  Kings  5  :  11 ;  Ezek.  27  :  17. 

21-23.  Arrayed  in  royal  apparel.  See 
below  for  description.— Sat  upon  his  throne 
(enl  tov  lit'iuaTog).  This  was  a  platform  used  by 
governors,  generals,  and  others  from  which  to 
deliver  public  addresses  or  to  administer  justice. 
It  was  sometimes  of  stone  and  stationary,  some- 
times of  wood  and  movable.  For  illustration, 
see  John  19  :  13,  note.— The  voice  of  God  and 
not  of  man.  It  was  customary  for  the  Greeks 
and  Romans  to  deify  their  dead,  many  of  their 
gods  being  ancient  heroes.  From  this  sprung 
up  the  practice,   in  these  degenerate   days   of 


Ch.  XIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


143 


23  And  immediately  the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote 
him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the  glory:  and  he  was 
eaten  of  worms,  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 

24  But  the  word  of  God  grew  y  and  multiplied. 


25  And  Barnabas  and  Saul  returned  from  Jeru.salem, 
when  they  had  fulfilled  their  ministry,  and  took  with 
them  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark. 


y  Isaiah  55  :  11  ;  chaps.  6  :  7  j  19  :  20;  Col.  1  :  6. 


MODERN   SUEIK    ON    HIS   THRONE. 

Rome,  of  deifying  the  living.  The  attempt  of 
Caligula  to  set  up  his  image  in  the  Temple  at 
Jerusalem  had  already  outraged  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple, and  had  been  abandoned  at  the  petition  of 
Herod  Agrippa  (josephus'  Ant.,  is :  8, 2-9). — An  angel 
of  the  Lord.  Not  <fte  angel.  There  is  no  rea- 
son whatever  to  suppose  that  any  angel  appeared, 
or  that  a  physical  and  literal  smiting  is  intended. 
The  language  is  simply  that  of  one  who  recog- 
nizes in  the  sudden  and  mortal  illness  which 
ensued  what  we  should  still  call,  in  analogous 
language,  "a  stroke  of  Providence."  Eusebius, 
misquoting  Josephus'  account  of  this  event, 
substitutes,  for  the  owl  which  he  mentions,  an 
angel,  and  this  perhaps  has  led  some  to  imagine, 
from  the  account  here,  the  visible  appearance  of 
an  angel.  But  this  is  not  probable,  and  is  not 
indicated  by  the  account. — And  he  was  eaten 
of  worms  and  expired.  Alford  quotes  sev- 
eral instances  from  ancient  history,  in  which  a 
similar  disease  is  reported  and  attributed  to 
Divine  judgment.  What  is  known  in  modern 
times  as  Trichiniasis  answers  to  the  description 
here.  In  this  disease  minute  worms,  called 
trichinw,  scarcely  visible  to  the  naked  eye, 
introduced  by  the  eating  of  meat,  insufficiently 
cooked,  containing  their  germs,  pierce  the 
mucous  coats  or  walls  of  the  intestines,  enter 
the  capillaries,  and  are  transported  by  the  blood 
throughout  the  whole  muscular  system.  Their 
multiplication  is  enormous,  reaching  thousands 


and  even  millions  in  a  single  case.  The  disease 
is  exceedingly  painful  and  generally  fatal. 

Of  Herod's  death  Josephus  (Am.  19 : 8, 2)  gives  a 
fuller  account,  but  one  which  in  all  its  essential 
particulars  agrees  with  the  account  here.  For 
the  convenience  of  those  who  have  not  access  to 
his  history  I  transcribe,  partly  condensing,  his 
account :  "Now,  when  Agrippa  had  reigned  three 
years  over  all  Judea,  he  came  to  the  city  Caesa- 
rea,  which  was  formerly  called  Strabo's  Tower ; 
and  there  he  exhibited  shows  in  honor  of  Caesar. 
On  the  second  day  of  which  shows  he  put  on  a 
garment  made  wholly  of  silver,  and  of  a  con- 
texture truly  wonderful,  and  came  into  the 
theatre  early  in  the  morning  ;  at  which  time  the 
silver  of  his  garment  being  illuminated  by  the 
fresh  reflection  of  the  sun's  rays  upon  it,  shone 
out  after  a  surprising  manner,  and  was  so  re- 
splendent as  to  spread  a  horror  over  those  that 
looked  intently  upon  him ;  and  presently  his 
flatterers  cried  out,  one  from  one  place  and 
another  from  another  (though  not  for  his  good), 
that  he  was  a  god  ;  and  they  added,  '  Be  thou 
merciful  to  us ;  for  although  we  have  hitherto 
reverenced  thee  only  as  a  man,  yet  shall  we 
henceforth  own  thee  as  superior  to  mortal  na- 
ture.' Upon  this  the  king  did  neither  rebulie 
them  nor  reject  their  impious  flattery.  But,  as 
he  presently  afterwards  looked  up,  he  saw  an 
owl  sitting  on  a  certain  rope  over  his  head,  and 
immediately  understood  that  this  bird  was  the 
messenger  of  ill  tidhigs,  as  it  had  once  been  the 
messenger  of  good  tidings  to  him  ;  and  fell  into 
the  deepest  sorrow.  A  severe  pain  also  arose  in 
his  belly,  and  began  in  a  most  violent  manner. 
He  therefore  looked  upon  his  friends  and  said : 
'I,  whom  you  call  a  god,  am  commanded  pre- 
sently to  depart  this  life  ;  while  Providence  thus 
reproves  the  lying  words  you  just  now  said  to 
me  ;  and  I,  who  was  by  you  called  immortal, 
am  immediately  to  be  hurried  away  by  death. 
But  I  am  bound  to  accept  of  what  Providence 
allots,  as  it  pleases  God  ;  for  we  have  by  no 
means  lived  ill,  but  in  a  splendid  and  happy 
manner.' "  He  died,  according  to  Josephus, 
after  five  days'  illness,  in  the  54th  year  of  his 
age  and  the  seventh  of  his  reign. 

24,  25.  Luke,  in  these  verses,  resumes  his 
narrative  where  it  was  broken  off  by  the  intro- 
duction of  the  account  of  the  death  of  James 
and  the  imprisonment  of  Peter  (ch.  12:1). — The 
Avord  of  God  grew  and  was  multiplied. 
Grew  in  its  actual  power  in  the  church,  by  rea- 


144 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  xin. 


N 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

O  W  there  were  in  the  church  that  was  at  Antioch, 
certain  prophets  and  teachers  ;  as  Barnabas,  and 


Simeon  that  was  called  Niger,  and  Lucius  of  Cyreue, 
and  Manaen,  which  had  been  brought  up  with  Herod 
the  tetrarch,  and  Saul. 
2  As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord,  and  fasted,  the 


Bon  of  increasing  faith  in  and  allegiance  to  it ; 
was  multiplied,  in  the  community,  by  the  addi- 
tions made  to  the  church.  T/ie  word  of  God  is 
here,  as  generally  in  the  N.  T.,  not  the  abstract 
truth,  but  the  truth  as  practically  held  by  men. 
So  our  term  creed  means,  properly,  not  a  sys- 
tem of  truth,  but  a  belief.  So  in  Matt.  13  :  19 
the  seed  sown  and  the  product  of  conviction  in 
the  hearer  are  treated  as  identical,  though  the 
identity  is  obscured  by  the  mistranslation  of  the 
passage.  See  note  there, — When  they  had 
fulfilled  their  ministry.  The  particular  ser- 
vice for  which  they  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  viz., 
to  carry  succor  to  the  brethren  (ch.  n  :  29, 30). — 
John.  See  above  on  ver.  13.  The  implication 
appears  to  me  to  be  that  the  visit  of  Saul  and 
Barnabas  took  place  at  or  about  the  same  time 
with  the  events  recorded  in  this  chapter.  These 
verses  introduce  the  account  of  the  first  mission- 
ary tour  by  Paul,  Barnabas,  and  Mark,  contained 
in  the  following  chapter. 

Ch.  13  : 1-12.  THE  FIRST  MISSIONARY  TOUR  TO  THE 
GKNTILES  BEGUN.    The  Holt  Ghost  the  originator 

OP  FOREIGN  MISSIONS, — ThB  FIRST  MISSIONARY  CON- 
TRIBUTION :  THE  PRIMITrVE  CHURCH  GIVES  ITS  MIN- 
ISTERS.— The  PREPARATION  FOR  SPECIAL  RELIGIOUS 
UNDERTAKINGS  IS  PRATER  AND  FASTING.— ThE  SIN 
AND  PUNISHMENT  OF  ElTMAS  :  HE  WHO  WOULD  KEEP 
OTHERS  IN  DARKNESS  IS  HIMSELF  BLINDED. — AnGER 
AS  WELL  AS  LOVE   IS   INSPmED   BT  THE   HoLT   GhOST. 

A.  D.  47^^.  See  Chronological  Table,  Intro., 
p.  20.  Luke  here  begins  the  third  part  of  his 
history  (intro.,  p.  le).  Having  described  (1)  the 
founding  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem  (chaps.  1-6), 
and  its  growth  and  development  by  the  initia- 
tory teachings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  of  divine 
Providence,  necessary  to  prepare  it  for  its  mis- 
sionary work  (chaps.  6-12),  he  begins  in  this  chapter 
a  narrative  of  that  work,  beginning  with  the  first 
missionary  journey  of  Barnabas  and  Paul,  and 
ending  with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  by  Paul 
in  Rome.  Henceforth  his  narrative  follows  sub- 
stantially the  course  of  Paul's  missionary  labors, 
and  affords  really  a  biography  of  the  great  apos- 
tle to  the  Gentiles,  though  not  in  a  strictly  bio- 
graphical form.  For  map  tracing  the  course  of 
this  journey,  see  Intro.,  p.  19.  Starting  from 
Seleucia,  the  port  of  Antioch  in  Syria,  crossing 
over  to  Salamis,  the  eastern  port  of  the  island  of 
Cyprus,  he  traverses  that  island,  comes  to  Pa- 
phos  on  its  western  coast,  where  Elymas  is 
struck  with  blindness,  thence,  following  the 
natural  course  of  commerce,  crosses  the  Medi- 
terranean to  the  mainland  at  Perga,  and,  jour- 
neying inland,  visits  in  succession  the  following 


cities  in  Asia  Minor :  Antioch  of  Pisidia,  Ico- 
nium,  Lystra,  Derbe,  whence  he  returns  by  the 
same  course  to  the  sea-coast,  embarking  at  At- 
talia,  near  Perga,  direct  for  Antioch  in  Syria. 
The  entire  journey  lasts  probably  about  a  year. 

The  general  character  of  the  provinces  of  Asia 
Minor  visited  by  Paul  at  this  time  are  well  de- 
scribed by  Renan.  A  more  minute  description 
is  given  by  Conybeare  and  Howson,  The  exter- 
nal difficulties  which  Paul  had  to  encounter  were 
not  few.  The  region  is  wild,  rugged,  moun- 
tainous ;  an  almost  Alpine  country,  with  numer- 
ous lakes  and  rivers,  which,  with  the  melting  of 
the  spring  snows,  become  suddenly  dangerous 
torrents  ;  the  roads  were  bad  and  were  infested 
with  robbers  ;  brigandage  was  common  ;  in  Lyca- 
onia  the  sceneiy  changes,  but  the  difficulties 
increase ;  the  land  is  unwatered  by  streams ; 
Strabo  mentions  one  place  where  water  was 
even  sold  for  money.  To  no  part  of  Paul's  life 
would  the  description  better  apply  which  he 
affords  of  his  life  :  "In  perils  of  waters,  in 
perUs  of  robbers,  *  *  *  in  perils  in  the  wil- 
derness, *  *  *  in  hunger  and  thirst  often  " 
(2  Cor.  11 :  26).  Ou  the  Other  hand,  the  charac- 
ter of  the  people  was  favorable  to  the  apostle's 
mission.  They  were  a  wild  rather  than  a  corrupt 
race.  Their  speech  was  rude  (ch.  u  :  11),  their 
ignorance  and  superstition  great ;  but  they  were 
not  rendered  skeptical  by  the  cynical  culture 
which  at  once  developed  and  degraded  the  great 
commercial  and  philosophical  centres  of  the  Ro- 
man world.  They  were  simple-hearted,  and  not 
encased  in  either  the  prejudices  of  a  fossilized 
conservatism  or  in  the  indifference  of  a  scoffing 
skepticism.  There  were  many  Jews  scattered 
through  this  region.  Far  removed  from  Jeru- 
salem and  the  influence  of  the  hierarchy,  they 
were  less  embittered  in  their  hostility  to  the 
Gentiles  than  those  of  Judea.  Jew  and  Gentile 
met  in  the  synagogue  ;  intermarriages  were  not 
uncommon  (oh.  is :  44;  le :  1).  Why  Paul  chose  this 
region  as  the  field  of  his  first  missionary  tour  is 
a  matter  only  of  surmise.  It  is  however  a  fact, 
possibly  of  significance,  that  the  whole  district 
was  one  with  which  his  residence  in  Tarsus 
must  have  made  him  familiar. 

1.  Now  there  were  in  the  church.  That 
is,  the  Christian  church  which  had  grown  out 
of  the  ministry  described  in  ch.  11  :  19-26. — At 
Antioch.  In  Syria,  near  the  Mediterranean 
coast.  For  illustration  and  description,  see  ch. 
11  :  19,  note.— Certain  prophets  and  teach- 
ers. It  is  not  possible  to  ascertain  with  accu- 
racy and  certainty  the  nature  of  the  distinctions 


Ch.  XIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


145 


Holy  Ghost  said,  Separate  '■  me  Baraabas  and  Saul  for 
the  work  »  whereunto  I  have  called  them. 


3  And  when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed,  and  laid 
their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  tke^K  away. 


z  Rom.  1:1;  Numb.  8  :  14  j  Gal.  1 :  15 ....  a  Matt.  9  :  38 ;  Rom.  10  :  16 ;  1  Tim.  2  :  7. 


in  the  offices  of  the  early  church.  Paul  men- 
tions, in  Ephes.  4  :  11,  four  classes— apostles, 
prophets,  evangelists,  and  pastors  and  teachers. 
The  language  there  implies  that  pastors  and 
teachers  are  different  terms  for  the  same  office. 
Bj  prophets  here  are  meant  teachers  possessing 
in  a  special  manner  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  indicated  in  some  peculiar  supernatural 
gift,  as  that  of  healing  or  of  foretelling  (seech. 
11 :  27,  note) ;  by  teachevs  are  meant  stated  and  per- 
manent teachers,  answering  somewhat  to  the 
pastor  of  a  modern  church.  The  former  may 
have  included  some  of  the  prophets  who  came 
from  Jerusalem  (ch.  ii :  27). 

Barnabas.  See  ch.  4  :  36,  note. — Simeon 
that  was  called  Niger.  To  distinguish  him 
from  Simon  Peter,  Simon  and  Simeon  being  the 
same  name.  Niger  means  black  ;  and  it  is  not  an 
unreasonable  surmise  that  he  was  an  African 
convert. — Liucius  of  Cyrene.  A  person  of  the 
same  name  is  described  by  Paul  as  one  of  his 
kinsmen  (Rom.  I6 :  21),  and  is  said  by  tradition  to 
have  been  ordained  bishop  of  the  church  of 
Cenchrese,  and  their  identity  is  not  improbable. 
He  is  not  Luke,  the  author  of  the  Gospel  and  of 
the  Book  of  Acts  and  the  Lucas  of  Phil.  24,  who 
is  in  two  other  places  mentioned  by  Paul  in  his 
epistles  (coi.  4 :  u ;  2  Tim.  4 :  ii),  but  uevcr  as  a  kins- 
man ;  moreover,  the  names,  though  similar,  are 
not  the  same.  Cyreiu  was  a  province  of  North- 
ern Africa  (see  ch.  2 :  10,  note),  and  this  Lucius  was 
very  probably  a  proselyte  from  that  district, 
who  heard  the  Gospel  in  his  native  dialect  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  also  one  of  the  "men 
of  Cyrene "  who  subsequently  were  scattered 
abroad  with  others  preaching  the  word  as  far 
as  Antioch  (ch.  n  -.  19, 20). — Manaen  which  had 
been  brought  up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch. 
Herod  Antipas,  son  of  Herod  the  Great,  appoint- 
ed by  his  father  tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Perea, 
subsequently  banished  and  dying  in  exile.  See 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  58,  59,  189.  Brought  up  with  indi- 
cates that  Manaen  was  nurtured  from  infancy 
with  this  Herod,  as  his  foster-brother.  One  of 
the  same  name,  Manahem,  an  Essene,  when 
Herod  the  Great  was  a  boy,  patted  him  on  the 
back,  saying :  "Mark,  boy  !  you  wDl  live  to  be 
king."  When  Herod  became  king  he  remem- 
bered the  prophecy,  and  held  Manahem  and  the 
Essenes  generally  in  the  highest  honor  (joa.  Ant. 
15 :  10, 5).  This  Manaen  was  probably  his  grand- 
son, though  Alford  supposes  that  he  may  have 
been  no  relation,  but  simply  have  received  his 
name  in  honor  of  Manahem. — And  Saul.  Of 
Tarsus.    From  the  mention  of  his  name  here  it 


is  evident  that  he  was  either  recognized  as  a 
prophet,  or,  more  probably,  was  looked  up  to 
by  the  church  at  Antioch  as  one  of  its  official 
teachers. 

2,  3.  As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord. 
Not,  as  they  preached  ( Chrysostom) ;  nor,  as  they 
offered  mass,  which  is  the  interpretation  of  the 
Romanist  expositors  ;  nor  can  any  conclusion  be 
justly  deduced  from  the  fact  that  from  the 
original  Greek  word  (kuTovQYitc)  is  derived  our 
word  liturgy.  The  word  is  used  in  classic  Greek 
to  designate  certain  public  services  connected 
more  or  less  remotely  with  religious  rites,  which 
were  provided  by  the  wealthier  citizens  of  Athens 
under  the  Grecian  laws,  such  as  vocal  and  in- 
strumental choruses  for  the  Greek  festivals, 
gynmastic  performances,  races,  and  religious  em- 
bassies to  the  oracles,  often  conducted  with 
great  magnificence.  It  is  used  in  the  N.  T.  both 
of  ministrations  of  charity  (Rom.  15 :  27 ;  2  Cor.  9 :  isj 
Phil.  2 :  25)  and  of  the  public  services  of  the  Jewish 
Temple  (Lute  1:23;  Heb.  10 :  11).  It  was  while  the 
church  was  engaged  in  its  Christian  services, 
whatever  those  were,  probably  substantially  as 
described  in  ch.  2  :  42,  46,  and  including  prayer, 
praise,  and  teaching,  that  the  commission  to  the 
first  missionary  work  was  given  by  the  Spirit  of 
God. — And  fasting.  Fasting  in  the  N.  T.  ap- 
pears to  have  always  accompanied  some  special 
service,  and  been  indicative  of  some  special  de- 
sire for  divine  guidance  or  assistance  (.ch.  10 :  30 ; 
14 :  23).  It  is  therefore  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
this  service  was  special  in  its  character  ;  not  im- 
probably the  disciples  were  seeking  for  guidance 
on  the  question  of  their  duty  toward  the  great 
outlying  heathen  population.  As  the  truth 
dawned  on  the  church,  that  the  door  of  the  Gos- 
pel was  opened  alike  to  Gentile  and  Jew,  the 
fuU  significance  of  Christ's  commission  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  all  nations,  would  be  impressed 
upon  them  (ch.  n :  ib-is),  whUe  how  to  fulfill  it,  they 
would  not  know. — Separate  now  for  me. 
That  is.  Set  apart  unto  trie,  for  this  special  ser- 
vice. Comp.  Rom.  1  : 1,  where  Paul  apparently 
refers  to  this  consecration  to  the  special  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  in  heathen  lands ;  and  Gal. 
1  :  15,  where  he  refers  to  the  grace  of  God  con- 
secrating him  to  himself  from  infancy.  Now 
(dt'l),  not  in  our  English  version,  gives  emphasis 
and  precision  to  the  command,  as  one  to  be  im- 
mediately obeyed.  They  were  not  to  wait  for 
any  other  door  of  opportunity,  any  providential 
opening  of  the  way  to  the  Gentiles.  Observe 
that  they  are  set  apart  to  this  work  by  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  derive  their  mission 


146 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


4  So  they,  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  de- 
parted unto  Seleucia ;  and  from  thence  they  sailed  to 
Cyprus. 


5  And  when  they  were  at  Salamis,  they  preached  the 
word  of  God  in  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews:  and  they 
had  also  John  to  their  minister. 


and  authority,  not  from  men,  not  from  the 
church,  but  from  God,  a  fact  on  which  Paul,  in 
Gal.  1 : 1  lays  emphasis.  But  observe  also  that  not 
till  this  call  of  God,  although  it  had  been  before 
privately  given,  is  accepted  and  Interpreted  by 
the  church  in  a  regular  and  orderly  manner,  does 
Paul  commence  his  mission  to  the  Gentiles. — 
Whereunto  I  have  called  them.  Paul  had 
previously  been  called  directly  by  the  Lord  to 
this  work  of  apostleship  to  the  Gentiles  (chaps. 
9 :  15;  22 :  2i) ;  Bamabas  had  been  called  to  an  anal- 
ogous work  by  the  providence  of  God,  which, 
through  the  action  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
had  sent  him  down  to  Antioch,  where,  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  he  had  been  led  to  confirm  the 
faith  of  the  Gentile  converts  (ch.  ii  :  23). — And 
when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed.  As  a 
special  preparation  for  the  ordination  of  Barna- 
bas and  Saul.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Angli- 
can churches,  certain  special  seasons  of  fasting — 
in  the  latter  the  Wednesday,  Friday,  and  Satur- 
day after  the  first  Sunday  in  Lent,  after  Whit 
Sunday,  after  the  llth  of  September,  and  after 
the  13th  of  December — are  set  apart  for  special 
prayer  and  fasting  for  God's  blessing  on  the  or- 


dination of  the  clergy.  These  weeks  are  called 
Ember  weeks ;  the  practice  has  been  maintained 
since  the  fifth  century,  prior  to  which  time  there 
were  no  stated  seasons  for  ordination  in  the 

church    (Bingham's  Antiq.,   B.  6,  ch.  6  :  66).      There    are 

none  in  most  of  the  Protestant  churches,  and  or- 
dination is  not  ordinarily  preceded  by  any  church 
fast,  though  often  by  special  devotional  exer- 
cises.— And  laid  their  hands  on  them.  On 
the  laying  on  of  hands,  see  ch.  8  :  17,  note. — 
They  sent  them  aAvay.  Observe  that  this 
little  church  gives,  not  money  out  of  its  trea- 
sury, but  ministers,  to  the  missionary  cause  ;  and 
that  it  surrenders  to  this  purpose  its  two  most 
prominent  pastors.  Missionary  work  requires 
the  best  men  the  church  possesses. 

4.  They  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  In  the  manner  already  described.  It 
is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  amazing  blindness 
of  the  church  that,  notwithstanding  this  direct 
divine  endorsement  of  the  work  of  Christian  mis- 
sions, the  modem  missionary  movement  should 
have  been  vehemently  opposed,  and  its  expedi- 
ency should  be  still  doubted,  in  the  church  of 
Christ. — Departed  unto  Seleucia.    The  sea- 


SELEUCIA  AUD    MT.    PIERIA. 


port  of  Antioch  in  Syria,  and  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean sea,  near  the  mouth  of  the  O  routes  river. 
It  was  founded  by  Seleucus  Nicator,  who  died 
B.  c.  280.  The  ruins  of  both  the  upper  and  lower 
towns  are  extensive.  The  walls  of  the  port  are 
Btill  visible  on  the  sea,  and  are  so  strong  that  Ali 
Pasha  once  intended  to  repair  them  and  clear  out 
the  sand,  so  as  to  fit  the  port  for  use.  The 
mountain  near  the  village  is  Pieria,  a  part  of 
Lebanon. — And  from  thence  they  sailed 
onto  Cyprus.    The  lofty  outline  of  this  island 


is  distinctly  visible  from  Seleucia,  between  60 
and  70  miles  distant.  For  description,  see  ch. 
11  :  19,  note. 

5.  And  when  they  were  at  Salamis.  The 
nearest  port  to  Seleucia,  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  island.  It  possessed  a  good  harbor.  It  was 
ruined  by  an  earthquake  under  Constantine  the 
Great,  but  was  rebuilt  and  called  Constantia.  Its 
remains  are  yet  to  be  seen  near  the  modem 
Famagosta. — In  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews. 
It  was    the    custom  of   the   apostles    first  to 


Ch.  XHL] 


THE  ACTS. 


147 


6  And  when  they  had  ^one  through  the  isle  unto 
Paphos,  they  found  a  certain  sorcerer,  a  false  prophet, 
a  Jew,  whose  name  was  Bar-jesus : 


7  Which  was  with  the  deputy  of  the  country,  Ser- 
gius  Paulus,  a  prudent  man  ;  who  called  for  Barnabas 
and  Saul,  and  desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 


ANCIENT    SAl.AMIb   (MOBI-KN    iAMACOsTAj. 
Ruins  of  St.  Sophia  Christian  Church. 


preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews,  and  after  their 
rejection  of  it  to  proclaim  it  to  the  Gentiles 

(chaps.  13  :  46;    17  :  2  ;   18  :  4 ;    Rom.  1  :  16)  ;    and    thiS,    not 

because  of  any  divine  partiality  for  the  Jewish 
nation,  but  because  it  was  permitted  to  them  to 
receive  and  become  the  heralds  to  others  of  the 
grace  of  God,  if  they  had  chosen  so  to  do. — 
John  to  their  minister.  As  their  assistant. 
The  Greek  word  (t;;rf;oiri;?)  signifies  literally  axvun- 
der-rower,  then,  in  a  wider  sense,  an  assistant  of 
another.  In  classic  Greek  it  signifies  the  heralds, 
messengers,  or  assistants  of  public  officers ;  in 
Luke  (4 :  2o),  a  subordinate  oflBcer  in  a  -Jewish 
synagogue  ;  elsewhere  in  the  Gospels,  the  subor- 
dinate officials  of  the   high-priest  (Matt,  se  :  5S  ;  Mark 

14  :  B4, 65;  John  7 :  32,  etc.) ;  and  three  timcs  Lu  the 
N.  T.,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  it  is  used  for  ministers 

or  servants  of  Christ  (Luke  l  :  2 ;  Acts  26  :  16  ;  1  Cor.  4  :  l). 

The  meaning  here  appears  to  be  that  Mark  went 
in  the  capacity  of  an  agent  or  assistant  of  the 
apostles,  to  make  provision  for  their  entertain- 
ment and  their  journeys,  and  also,  perhaps,  to 
act  as  the  amanuensis  of  Paul.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  he  may  have  administered  the  rite  of 
baptism,  which  Paul  himself  rarely  did  (i  Cor. 
1 :  14-17).  The  value  of  his  services  Paul  recog- 
nized in  his  letter  to  Timothy  twenty  years  later 

(2  Tim.  4:  11). 

6.  And  when  they  had  gone  through  the 
whole  island  unto  Paphos.  This  city  was 
at  the  western  end  of  Cyprus,  and,  by  a  road 
which  certainly  existed  a.  d.  230,  and  very  prob- 
ably earlier,  100  miles  from  Salamis.  New  Paphos 
is  intended,  about  eight  miles  north  of  the  Paphos 
celebrated  in  classic  poets  for  the  temple  and 
worship  of  Venus.  —  A  certain  sorcerer. 
Rather,  magician.     On  the  magi,  their  origin. 


history,  and  practices,  see  Matt.  2  :  1,  note ; 
Acts  8  :  9,  note.  The  magicians  did  not  merely 
pretend  to  foretell  the  future,  but  also  to  influ- 
ence it,  by  the  control  which  they  claimed  to  ex- 
ercise over  the  inferior  gods  or  demons  ;  it  was 
called  white  or  black  art,  according  as  the  gods 
were  good  or  evil.  While  the  Jewish  laws  rigor- 
ously forbade  all  practice  of  witchcraft  and 
magic,  punishing  it  with  death  (Exod.  22 :  is ;  Deut. 
18 : 9-22 ;  Lev.  19 :  3i),  the  Jcwish  nation  at  this  time, 
in  common  with  other  Eastern  nations,  contrib- 
uted necromancers,  soothsayers,  and  wonder- 
workers, who  played  upon  and  profited  by  the 
superstitions  of  the  people,  and  who  brought 
under  their  influence  not  only  the  lower  classes, 
but  also  the  aristocracy,  the  governors,  and  even 
the  emperors  of  Rome.  Marius,  Pompey,  Cras- 
sus,  CtBsar,  and  Tiberius  all  consulted  them.  It 
was  not,  therefore,  strange  that  Sergius  Paulus 
should  have  had  such  a  magician  as  an  adviser. 
For  some  account  of  their  arts  and  influence,  see 
Conybeare  and  Howson,  ch.  5. — A  false  pro- 
phet. Not  merely  a  false  teacher,  but  one  falsely 
professing  to  be  an  ambassador  from  and  inspired 
by  God.  The  language  here  and  in  verse  10  im- 
plies that  he  was  a  deliberate  and  conscious  im- 
postor.— Bar-jesus,  A  Hebrew  word  meaning 
Son  of  Joshua ;  the  name  below,  Elymax,  is  of 
Arabic  origin,  signifjing  the  wise  ma»,  and  ap- 
pears to  be  a  title  which  he  had  assumed,  the 
equivalent  of  which  is  the  magian,  mistranslated 
the  sorcerer. 

7,  8.  Which  was  with  the  deputy  of  the 
country.  Literally,  the  proconsul.  The  Ro- 
man provinces  were  of  two  kinds,  imperial  and 
senatorial ;  the  former,  those  most  requiring  the 
presence  of  military  force  and  military  law,  were 


148 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  XIII. 


8  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer  (for  so  is  his  name  by 
•  interpretation)  withstood''  them,  seeking  to  turn  away 
the  deputy  from  the  faith. 


9  Then  Saul,  (who  also  is  called  Paul,)  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  set  his  eyes  on  him, 

10  And  said,  O  full  of  all  subtilty  and  all  mischief, 


b  2  Tim.  3  :  8. 


governed  by  prefects  called  propraetors,  who 
were  appointed  by  the  emperor,  and  were  re- 
sponsible to  him  ;  the  latter,  of  a  more  peaceful 
character,  were  governed  by  officers,  called  pro- 
consuls, appointed  by  the  senate.  Sergius  Pau- 
lus  was  such  a  proconsul.  The  emperor  Augus- 
tus at  first  reserved  Cyprus  to  himself,  and  it 
was  accordingly  governed  by  propraetors,  and, 
this  fact  appearing  in  Strabo,  it  was  for  a  time 
supposed  that  Luke  had  erred  in  giving  the  title 
proconsul  to  Sergius  Paulus.  But  a  passage  has 
since  been  discovered  in  Dio  Cassius  which  stated 
that  Augustus  subsequently  relinquished  Cyprus 
to  the  senate,  and  that  it  was  henceforth  gov- 
erned by  proconsuls ;  and  coins  struck  in  the 
reign  of  Claudius,  i.  e.,  about  the  time  of  Paul's 
visit,  have  been  found,  on  one  of  which  this  very 
title  proconsul  is  applied  to  a  governor  of  Cy- 
prus. Such  minute  historical  contirmations  show 
clearly  that  the  Book  of  Acts  was  written  at  or 
about  the  time  of  the  events  narrated,  and  its 
accuracy. 

Sergius  Paulus,  a  prudent  man.  That  is, 
an  intelligent  or  thoughtful  man.  With  this  agrees 
Pliny,  who  cites  him  as  an  authority  on  questions 
of  natural  philosophy,  and  Galen,  who  refers  in 
flattering  terms  to  the  philosophical  ability  of  a 
son  or  grandson  of  the  same  name.  Because 
Bar-jesus  was  his  counsellor,  it  does  not  follow 
that  he  accepted  unquestioningly  the  impostor's 
teachings  ;  indeed,  the  reverse  is  implied  by  the 
course  of  the  narrative. — Desired  to  hear  the 
Word  of  God.  He  sent  to  the  apostles  to  come 
to  his  court  for  this  purpose  ;  similar  experiences 
are  recorded  by  modern  missionaries  in  foreign 
lands.  The  report  of  the  preaching  at  the  syna- 
gogue had  probably  reached  him,  and  aroused 
his  curiosity,  if  not  his  spiritual  interest. — The 
Word  of  God.  The  Gospel ;  that  is,  the  means 
of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ. — But  Ely- 
mas. See  above,  on  ver.  6. — From  the  faith, 
i.  e. ,  from  accepting  it ;  because  with  its  accept- 
ance the  influence  of  Elymas  would  be  at  an  end. 

9.  Then  Saul,  who  is  also  called  Paul. 
Up  to  this  time  he  is  designated  in  Luke's  narra- 
tive only  by  the  Hebrew  name  Saul ;  henceforth, 
in  the  narrative,  only  by  the  Latin  name  Paul, 
except  in  his  own  account  of  his  conversion  (ch. 
22 : 7, 13 ;  26 :  m).  Why  this  Change  of  name  ?  And 
why  does  it  take  place  at  this  time  ?  The  N.  T. 
does  not  answer  these  questions.  Several  hypo- 
thetical reasons  have  been  assigned:  (1.)  That 
he  takes  the  name  of  Sergius  Paulus  to  com- 
memorate  the   first  remarkable  victory  in  his 


missionary  work ;  so  Jerome,  and,  apparently, 
Augustine  ;  but  this  is  quite  inconsistent  with 
the  spirit  of  one  who  always  refused  to  glory, 
save  in  Jesus  Christ  his  Lord  (2  Cor.  12:5-9;  Gai. 
6 :  14) ;  or,  (3)  he  adopts  Sergius  Paulus  as  his 
patron,  assuming  his  name  in  token  of  his  depen- 
dence ;  so  Renan  ;  but  this  is  equally  inconsis- 
tent with  Paul's  notable  independence  of  charac- 
ter ;  (3)  that  he  abandoned  the  name  Saul,  be- 
cause, though  acceptable  to  the  Hebrews,  it  car- 
ried with  it  a  degrading  idea  in  Greece,  the  word 
meaning  conceited  ;  but  this  suggestion  is  also  at 
variance  with  the  character  of  the  apostle  ;  (4) 
that  he  adopted  the  word  Paul,  meaning  little^  as 
a  title  of  humility,  and  to  indicate  that  he  regard- 
ed himself  as  the  least  of  the  apostles  on  account 
of  his  previous  persecutions  of  the  church  (1  Cor. 
15 : 9),  this  is  a  possible,  but  not  probable  explan- 
ation ;  it  savors  too  much  of  the  ostentation  of 
humUity,  and  suggests  no  reason  for  the  change 
at  this  time;  (5)  that  both  names  were  borne  by 
him  from  childhood,  Saul  being  his  Hebrew,  and 
Paul  his  Roman  name,  and  that  he  from  this  time 
adopted  the  latter,  partly  to  obtain  the  more 
readily  the  advantages  which  were  afforded  by 
his  Roman  citizenship,  partly  because  it  would 
better  give  him  access  to  the  Gentile  world.  The 
use  of  two  names  were  common  among  the  Jews, 
and  may  be  traced  through  all  the  periods  of  He- 
brew history.  Thus  Joseph  took  the  name  Zaph- 
erathpaaneah  (Gen.  41 :  45),  Daniel  was  entitled  Bel- 
teshazzar  (Dan.  1  :  ?),  Esther  received  the  name 
Hadassah  (Esther  2 : 7).  So  in  the  N.  T.  we  have 
the  Greek  names  Philip  and  Alexander,  and  the 
Roman  names  Crispus,  Justus,  Niger,  given  to 
Jews,  and  this  practice  of  taking  Gentile  names 
has  been  continued  among  the  Jews  to  the  pre- 
sent day.  This  explanation  seems  to  me  the 
most  reasonable,  and  it  partly  explains  why  the 
change  is  introduced  in  the  narrative,  at  the  time 
of,  and  in  connection  with,  the  apostles'  first 
missionary  journey. 

Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Paul's  in- 
vective was  not  then  inspired  by  any  personal 
irritation  of  spirit,  but  by  a  holy  wrath  against 
imposture  and  the  impostor  who  was  attempting 
to  prevent  the  work  of  God's  grace  and  truth. — 
Set  eyes  on  him.  So  Peter  fastened  his  eyes 
upon  the  lame  man  in  the  Temple  (ch.  3 : 4),  and 
Paul  on  the  impotent  man  at  Lystra  (ch.  14 : 9),  and 
again  upon  the  council  before  which  he  was  sum- 
moned for  trial  (ch.  23 : 1).  The  language  is  that 
of  an  eye-witness,  who  was  impressed  by  the 
intensity  and  power  of  Paul's  gaze.     Alford's 


Ch.  XIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


149 


tkou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteous- 
ness, wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of 
the  Lord  ? 

II  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  for  a 


season.  And  immediately  there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and 
a  darkness  ;  and  he  went  about  seeking  some  to  lead 
him  by  the  hand. 

12  Then  the  deputy,  when  he  saw  what  was  done, 
believed,  being  astonished  at  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord. 


conjecture  that  it  refers  to  some  imperfection 
in  his  sight,  as  though  he  looked  intently  in  order 
clearly  to  perceive  Elymas,  seems  to  me  far  less 
probable  than  that  there  was  in  his  look  a  pecu- 
liar moral  power,  a  piercing  through  the  outer 
shell,  which  attracted  the  attention  of  the  origi- 
nal narrator  of  this  incident. 

10.  O  full  of  all  subtilty  and  mischief. 
Deceit  and  reckless7iess.  The  Greek  word  ren- 
dered subtilty  (do^og)  primarily  means  a  bait  for 
fish ;  then,  any  deception ;  then,  a  desire  or  dis- 
position to  deceive ;  the  word  rendered  mischief 
(oudiovQyla)  signifies  what  is  done  lightly,  reck- 
lessly, and  hence  an  unscrupulousness  in  doing 
evil.  I  see  no  ground  for  Dr.  Hackett's  distinc- 
tion that  "  deceit  refers  to  his  occupation,  wicked- 
ness to  his  character;  "  rather  both  refer  to  his 
character — one  to  its  falsity,  the  other  to  its  utter 
unscrupulousness. — Son  of  the  devil.  Because 
a  liar,  and  so  a  child  of  the  father  of  lies  (john  8 :  44). 
Meyer  supposes  an  indignant  allusion  to  his  name 
Bar-jesus,  Son  of  Joshua  or  Son  of  Jesus. — Ene- 
my of  all  righteousness.  He  was  not  merely 
an  opposer  of  Christianity,  which  one  may  be 
honestly  and  sincerely,  as  Saul  himself,  through 
the  perA'ersion  of  pride  (ch.  26 : 9),  but  an  enemy 
of  all  righteousness,  and  therefore  opposed  to 
Christianity,  because  it  conducted  men  to  right- 
eousness ;  and  this  secret  hostility  to  truth,  pur- 
ity, and  love,  is  the  general  cause  of  open  opposi- 
tion to  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ. — Wilt  thou 
not  cease  to  pervert  the  straight  ways  of 
the  Lord  ?  Not,  as  Dr.  Hackett,  to  misrepresent 
and  malign  the  ways  which  the  Lord  requires  men  to 
follow,  for  there  is  no  evidence  that  Elymas  had 
misrepresented  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  which 
indeed  he  had  but  little  opportunity  to  do,  with 
Paul  present  to  correct  the  misrepresentation, 
and  to  pervert  {diuatqkcpw)  has  not  properly  the 
meaning  of  malign;  nor,  as  Alexander,  is  the  lan- 
guage equivalent  to  turn  away  from  the  right  ways 
of  the  Lord,  for  it  was  not  Sergius  Paulus,  but  the 
right  ways  of  the  Lord,  which  Elymas  was  turning 
aside.  These  right  ways  are  the  same  as  the 
"path  of  the  Lord,"  which  John  the  Baptist 
urged  his  hearers  to  make  straight,  that  He  might 
come  to  Israel  (Matt.  3:3;  Mark  1 :  s),  the  Way  from 
God  unto  the  hearts  of  men.  The  doctrine  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  holds  communion  with  men, 
and  that  angels  are  the  ministering  spirits  of  the 
Most  High  to  man,  and  that  evil  spirits  are  among 

man's    spiritual    foes    (John   U  :  17;   Ephes.  6  :   12;  Heb. 

1 :  14),  Elymas,  in  common  with  all  sorcerers  of 
his  day  and  ours,  perverted  into  a  doctrine  of 


spiritism,  and  a  practice  of  pretended  communi- 
cation with  spirits.  Thus  he  perverted,  turned 
aside,  from  a  high  and  holy  use,  the  truth,  making 
it  a  means  of  evil,  and  out  of  it  a  degrading 
error.  The  most  dangerous  errors  are  always 
those  which  are  perversions  of  the  straight  ways 
of  the  Lord. 

11.  The  hand  of  the  Lord  (is)  upon  thee. 
A  frequent  Biblical  expression  for  the  manifes- 
tation of  the  power  of  God,  either  in  punishment 

(Exod.  9:  3;  1  Sam.  6:  ll),  Or  in  merCy  (Acts  4  :  30;  11  :  21; 
Ezra?:  9;  Neh.  2:8). — Not   SeeiUg    the    SUU    fOF   a 

season.  This  phrase  indicates  total  blindness. 
In  case  of  partial  blindness,  the  eye  cannot  dis- 
cern objects,  but  is  able  to  recognize  the  light; 
when  the  sun  cannot  be  discerned,  the  blindness 
is  absolute.  It  is  common  for  oculists  to  test 
the  character  of  the  difficulty  by  directing  the 
eyes  of  the  patient  toward  a  strong  light,  and 
inquiring  if  anything  of  it  can  be  recognized. 
That  the  blindness  was  temporary  is  indicated 
clearly  by  the  language  here  ;  but  how  long  it 
lasted,  or  when  or  how  it  was  cured,  we  have  no 
means  of  knowing.  Nothing  is  known  of  Ely- 
mas except  what  is  recorded  here. — A  mist  and 
darkness.  This  indicates  that  the  blindness 
came  on  in  successive  stages,  as  the  cure  was 
wrought  on  the  man  at  Bethsaida  (Mark  s :  22-26). 
This  description  affords  no  hint  of  the  nature 
of  the  blindness,  whether  an  opacity  on  the  eye, 
or  a  sudden  failure  in  the  optic  nerve.  In  both 
classes  of  cases  the  blindness  comes  on,  as  here, 
in  successive  stages,  first  a  mist,  then  a  darkness, 
and  m  neither  is  it  ever  so  suddenly  produced  as 
in  this  case. 

12.  Then  the  deputy  *  *  *  believed. 
That  he  was  spiritually  converted  is  not  certain, 
for  precisely  the  same  language  is  used  of  Simon 
Magus  (ch.  8 :  13).  He  was  convinced  by  this  mira- 
cle of  the  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  whose  ambas- 
sadors Paul  and  Barnabas  were  ;  that  he  gave 
his  personal  allegiance  to  Christ  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow ;  it  is  not  stated  that  he  was  bap- 
tized ;  and  the  implication  that  astonishment 
was  the  basis  of  his  belief,  does  not  favor  the 
hypothesis  that  he  became  a  true  child  of  God. 
—At  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord.  That  is,  at 
the  manner  of  the  teaching,  not  at  the  truths 
taught.  Comp.  Mark  1  :  27.  He  was  astonished 
at  teaching  accompanied  by  signs  and  wonders 
so  much  surpassing  any  that  Elymas  had  pro- 
duced by  his  arts. 

In  considermg  the  practical  and  spiritual  signi- 
ficance of  this  miracle,  observe,  (1)  its  parallel  to 


150 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


13  Now  when  Paul  and  his  company  loosed  from 
Paphos,  they  came  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia  ;  and  John 
departing'  trom  them,  returned  to  Jerusalem. 


14  But  when  they  departed  from  Perga,  they  came 
to  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  and  went  into  the  synagogue  "^  on 
the  sabbath  day,  and  sat  down. 


c  ch.  15  :  38  .  . . .  d  chaps.  16  :  13  ;  17:2;  IS  :  4. 


the  conflict  between  Moses  and  the  magicians  of 
Egypt  (Exod.,  chaps.  7,  s).  In  both,  the  powers  of 
light  and  darkness  are  seen  in  conflict ;  in  both, 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  heavy  in  punishment 
upon  the  workers  of  deceit  and  wickedness.  (3.) 
The  symbolic  character  of  the  punishment.  He 
who  was  endeavoring  to  lead  others  into  dark- 
ness, is  himself  blinded;  so  ever  the  framers 
and  maintainers  of  superstition  and  ignorance 
are  by  it  brought  into  blindness  of  mind  and  of 
soul.  (3.)  The  admonition  to  all,  who,  in  our 
own  time,  seek  to  turn  inquirers  away  from  the 
faith,  or  to  pervert  into  error,  for  their  own  pur- 
poses, the  truths  of  God's  word.  (4.)  Its  direct 
and  divine  sanction  of  indignation  against  the 
deliberate  and  purposed  opposers  of  the  truth, 
who  resist  it  because  they  are  enemies  of  all 
righteousness. 


Ch.  13  :  13-52.  PAUL'S  SERMON  AT  ANTIOCH.  THE 
GOSPEL  REJECTED   BY   THE    JEWS.    The  apostolic 

MISSIONABT  TO   THB   JEWISH   PEOPLE.— ThE  DOCTP.tNB 
OF  JUSTIFICATION   BY  FAITH  UNFOLDED. 

With  this  address  of  Paul  should  be  carefully 
compared  the  parallel  address  of  Peter  in  ch.  2, 
and  the  partially  parallel  one  of  Stephen  in  ch.  7. 
Observe,  however,  that  Paul  brings  out  far  more 
distinctly  and  sharply  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  faith  in  contrast  with  justification  by  law, 
than  either  of  the  others. 

13,  14.  Paul  and  his  companions.  From 
this  time  Paul  is  not  only  the  chief  speaker  (ch. 
14 :  12),  but  the  leader ;  Barnabas  occupies  a  sec- 
ondary, if  not  a  subordinate  position. — They 
came  to  Perga.  An  ancient  and  important 
city  of  Pamphylia,  situated  on  the  river  Cestrus, 
at  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten  miles  from  its  mouth. 


PEIiGA   IN  PAMPHYLIA. 


and  celebrated  in  antiquity  for  the  worship  of 
Artemis  (Diana),  whose  temple  stood  on  a  hill 
outside  the  town.  The  goddess  and  the  temple 
are  represented  in  the  coins  of  Perga.  The  Ces- 
trus was  formerly  navigable  to  Perga.  The  mod- 
em traveler  finds  here  only  the  encampments  of 
shepherds,  who  pasture  their  cattle  amidst  walls 
and  towers,  columns  and  cornices,  a  theatre,  a 
broken  aqueduct  encrusted  with  the  calcareous 
deposit  of  the  Pamphylian  streams,  and  tombs 
scattered  on  both  sides  of  the  town.  Nothing 
else  remains  of  Perga  but  the  beauty  of  its  natu- 
ral situation,  between  and  upon  the  sides  of  two 
hiUs,  with  an  extensive  valley  in  front,  watered 


by  the  river  Cestrus,  and  backed  by  the  moun- 
tains of  the  Taurus.— In  Pamphylia.  One  of 
the  southern  provinces  of  Asia  Minor.  As  in  the 
case  of  most  other  provinces  of  Lesser  Asia, 
the  boundaries  of  Pamphylia  were  frequently 
changed,  but  it  may  be  roughly  said  to  have  been 
separated  from  Pisidia  by  the  Taurian  range. 
The  valleys  are  rich  and  fertile,  but  toward  the 
sea  unhealthy.  At  the  time  of  Paul  it  formed  a 
province  together  with  Lycia.  It  was  then  a 
flourishing  commercial  province  ;  the  rivers,  now 
rendered  useless  for  ships  by  the  formation  of 
bars  across  their  mouths,  were  then  navigable  to 
a  considerable  extent.      The  mhabitants  were 


Ch.  XIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


151 


IS  And  after  the  reading '  of  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets, the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  sent  unto  them, 
saying,  Ve  men  and  brethren,  it  ye  have  any  word' 
of  exhortation  for  the  people,  say  on. 


i6  Then  Paul  stood  up,  and  beckoning  with  Ais 
hand,  said.  Men  of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God,  give 
audience. 


e  verse  27  ....  f  Heb.  13  :  22. 


mDd  and  courteous  in  manners,  and  largely  en- 
gaged in  commerce,  to  which,  indeed,  they  were 
led  by  the  peculiarly  favorable  situation  of  the 
country. 

And  John  departing  from  them  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem.  John  Mark,  the  author 
of  the  Gospel  of  Mark  ;  on  his  life  and  character, 
see  Vol.  I,  p.  337.  No  reason  is  assigned  for  this 
departure ;  that  it  seemed  unreasonable  to  Paul, 
and  an  evidence  of  weakness,  irresolution,  or 
lack  of  faith,  is  evident  from  the  apostle's  refusal 
to  take  him  as  a  traveling  companion  on  the  sec- 
ond missionary  tour  (ch.  is :  37,  as).  Various  expla- 
nations have  been  proposed  ;  as  that  he  feared 
the  dangers  of  the  hazardous  journey  ;  that  he 
hesitated  to  commit  himself  to  the  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles ;  that  he 


was  ofEended  because  Barnabas,  who  was  a  rela- 
tive of  Mark's,  no  longer  held  the  foremost  place, 
which  was  henceforth  occupied  by  Paul ;  that 
his  mother  dwelt  at  Jerusalem  (ch.  12 :  12),  and  that 
fear  and  filial  love  combined  to  call  him  back. 
However  this  may  be,  if  he  was,  as  ver.  5  implies 
(sec  nota  there),  the  agent  and  servant  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  having  charge  of  all  arrangements  for 
their  entertainment,  etc.,  and  answering  to  the 
modern  courier,  his  departure  would  have  neces- 
sarily involved  great  personal  inconvenience  to 
them,  and  a  serious  embarrassment  in  their 
work,  quite  adequate  to  account  for  Paul's  sub- 
sequent unwillingness  to  take  him  again  in  the 
same  capacity. — They  came  to  Antioch  in 
Pisidia.  So  entitled  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
more  important  Antioch  in  Syria.    It  was  built 


ANTIOCH  IN  PISEDIA. 


on  a  hill  between  two  plains,  one  of  which  was  in 
Pisidia  and  the  other  in  Pamphylia.  The  site  is 
near  the  modern  village  of  Yalobatch.  There 
are  remains  of  three  temples,  a  theatre,  several 
churches,  and  an  aqueduct,  all  of  stone  and  well 
built. — And  went  into  the  synagogue.  For 
illustration  of  Jewish  synagogue,  see  Vol.  I, 
frontispiece  ;  for  a  description  of  synagogue  and 
its  services.  Matt.  4  :  23,  note. 

15.  After  the  reading  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  The  reading  of  the  Scripture  formed 


an  important  part  of  the  synagogue  services  (ver. 
27).  They  were  arranged  in  lessons,  somewhat  as 
in  the  Episcopal  church  of  to-day,  one  selection 
being  taken  from  the  law  the  first  five  books,  the 
other  from  the  prophets,  which  included  the 
books  of  Joshua,  Judges,  Samuel,  and  Kings. 
The  lessons  on  this  day  were  probably  Deut.,  ch. 
1,  and  Isaiah,  ch.  1.  See  Bengel  on  verses  17-19, 
quoted  below. — The  men  of  the  synagogue. 
The  synagogue  was  governed  by  a  board  of 
elders ;  the  term  ruler  is  usually  applied  to  the 


152 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIIL 


17  The  God  of  this  people  of  Israel  chose!  our  fa- 
thers, and  exalted  the  people  when  they  dwelt  i"  as 
strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  with  an  high '  arm 
brought  he  them  out  of  it, 


18  And  about  the  time  of  forty  J  years  suffered  he 
their  manners  in  the  wilderness. 

19  And  when  he  had  destroyed  "^  seven  nations  in 
the  land  of  Chanaan,  he'  divided  their  land  to  them 
by  lot. 


g  Deut.  7  :  6,  7 h  Ps.  105  :  23 . . . .  i  Exod.  13  :  14, 16 ...  .j  Exod.  16  :  35 k  Deut.  7:1 1  Josh.  14  : 1,  etc. 


president  of  this  board,  but  here,  and  in  Mark 
5  :  22,  it  appears  to  be  equivalent  to  elders.  Per- 
haps the  president  or  ruler  invited  Paul  to  speak, 
after  consulting  with  the  other  elders. — Sent  to 
them.  They  were  sitting  with  the  congrega- 
tion. Possibly  something  in  the  dress  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas  indicated  that  they  were  rabbis  ; 
Paul  had  received  a  regular  theological  educa- 
tion at  Jerusalem  from  Gamaliel,  and  thus  occu- 
pied in  Jewish  eyes  the  position  of  an  ordained 
minister  in  our  own  times.  Or,  perhaps,  they 
had  already  taught  in  private  in  Antioch,  and  the 
elders  desired  to  give  them  an  opportunity  to 
explain  their  views  publicly.  It  was  customary 
to  allow  in  the  synagogue  service  any  rabbi  to 
expound  the  Scripture,  and  to  make  it  the  ocea- 
Bion  for  explaining  the  tenets  of  any  new  sect  or 
school  of  Judaism.  Comp.  with  the  account 
here  Luke  4  :  16-20. 

16.  And  Paul  stood  up.  The  Jews  appear 
to  have  given  their  instructions  ordinarily,  as  the 
Orientals  still  do  in  their  schools,  sitting,  and 

Jesus   did    so   (Matt.  5  :  l  ;  Luke  4  :  20).      But  the  apOS- 

tles  appear  to  have  spoken  standing  (Acts  i  :  15 ; 
11 :  28 ;  15 : 7). — And  beckoning  with  his  hand. 

As  a  means  of  silencing  the  assembly  and  secur- 
ing their  attention.  There  is  no  reason  for 
regarding  this  gesture  as  a  peculiarity  of  Paul. 
See  ch.  13  :  17 ;  19  :  33.  The  indication  is  of  a 
murmur  of  curiosity  to  hear  the  new  and  strange 
doctrine,  some  rumors  of  which  had  probably 
already  gone  abroad,  and  a  stir  in  the  assembly, 
when  Paul  came  forward  to  speak,  and  this  he 
hushed  with  an  uplifted  hand,  as  a  preparation 
for  speaking. — Men  of  Israel,  and  ye  that 
fear  God.  Two  distinct  classes  are  included 
by  the  apostle,  3fen  of  Israel,  are  the  Hebrews 
by  birth ;  ye  that  fear  Ood,  are  Jewish  prose- 
lytes, converted  from  heathenism  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah,  and  attending  the  synagogue 
service.  This  phrase  certainly  does  not  include 
any  Gentiles  who  did  not  accept  and  worship 
Jehovah. — Give  audience.  He  speaks  as  one 
who  has  an  important  message  to  deliver,  as  a 
herald  summoning  attention  to  his  proclamation. 
17-19.  "The  beginning  of  this  discourse, 
verses  17, 18, 19,  has  three  Greek  words  which  are 
both  rare  and  altogether  peculiar  to  the  Scripture 
(iSi/tofffv,  exalted;  irnoTtocpitQtjatv,  suffered  their 
manners;  ax\A  y.atiy.Xi]qov  oi^njotr,  divided  by  lot)- 
of  which  the  first  occurs  in  Isaiah  1  :  2  (brought 
up),  the  second  and  third  in  Deut.  1 :  31,  38.  And 
moreover,  these  two  chapters,  Deut.  1  and  Isaiah 


1,  are  to  this  day  read  on  the  one  Sabbath  ;  whence 
it  is  sufficiently  certain  that  both  were  read  on 
that  very  Sabbath,  and  in  Greek,  and  that  Paul 
referred  especially  to  that  reading  of  Moses  and 
the  prophets  mentioned  in  ver.  15.  For  even  the 
mention  of  the  Judges  (ver.  20)  agrees  with  the 
lesson  Isaiah  1 :  36,  and  the  Jews  are  wont  to  take 
their  discourses,  or  their  beginnings,  from  the 
Sabbath  lesson  in  the  synagogue." — {Bengel.) — 
Chose  our  fathers.  The  choice  was  first  mani- 
fested in  the  call  of  Abraham  (Gen.  12 : 1-3),  who  is 
the  father,  not  only  of  the  Jews,  but  of  all  believ- 
ers (Matt.  3:9;  Gal.  3 :  14).  Thls  doctriue,  that  the 
religion  of  the  Bible,  of  the  O.  T.  as  well  as  of  the 
N.  T.,  is  one  which  embraces  in  its  promises  all 
peoples,  more  fully  declared  by  Paul  in  his  epis- 
tles, especially  to  the  Romans  and  the  Galatians, 
is  intimated  by  his  language  here,  our  fathers, 
which  is  addressed  to  Greek  proselytes  as  well 
as  to  the  Jews. — And  exalted  the  people. 
Not  brought  them  up  (Alford),  a  meaning  never 
given  in  the  N.  T.  to  the  original  (i5i/o'tu) ;  Isaiah 
1  :  3,  which  he  quotes,  does  not  sustain  this 
translation ;  the  original  would  there  be  better 
rendered  exalted.  Nor  is  the  reference  here  to 
Joseph's  exaltation  ( Grotius),  for  Paul  says  that 
God  exalted  the  people  ;  nor  to  their  miraculous 
deliverance  {Calvin,  Meyer),  for  he  says  God 
exalted  the  people  when  they  dwelt  (literally,  dur- 
ing their  sojourning)  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  Their 
humiliation  was  their  exaltation.  They  went 
thither  75  souls,  of  separate  families ;  they  were 
compacted  by  their  servility  into  a  united  nation, 
made  strong  by  suffering  (ch  7 :  14,  n).  So,  by  the 
American  Revolution,  God  exalted  the  Amer- 
ican colonists  into  a  great  nation. — And  ahout 
the  time  of  forty  years  he  nursed  them  in 
the  wilderness.  This  is  the  best  MS.  reading 
{TQO(po(poQi(j},  not  rnono(poQiix)).  The  original  is 
compounded  of  two  Greek  verbs,  one  signifying 
a  nurse,  the  other  to  carry  ;  God  is  represented  as 
carrying  the  Israelites  in  his  arms,  as  anurse  carries 
the  child.  See  Numb.  11 :  12 ;  Deut.  1 :  31 ;  comp. 
1  Thess.  2  :  7.  Analogous  is  the  imagery  of  Isaiah 
40  :  11.— Seven  nations.  Deut.  7:1;  Josh. 
3  :  10 ;  24  :  11,  give  the  names  of  these  seven 
nations  :  The  Hittites,  the  Girgashites,  the  Am- 
orites,  the  Canaanites,  the  Perizzites,  the  Hiv- 
ites  and  the  Jebusites.  They  were  the  descend- 
ants of  Canaan,  and  most  of  them  take  their 
names  from  his  children  (oen.  10  :  16-19).  They 
were  not  utterly  destroyed ;  fragments  remained 
down  to  and  through  Solomon's  time  (1  Kings  9 :  2o> 


Ch.  XIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


153 


20  And  after  that,  he  gave  unto  them  judges,™  about 
the  space  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  until  Samuel 
the  prophet. 

21  And  afterward  they"  desired  a  king:  and  God 
gave  unto  them  Saul"  the  son  of  Cis,  a  man  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin,  by  the  space  of  forty  years. 


22  And  vifhen  he""  had  removed  him,  he  raised  up 
unto  them  Davidito  be  their  king;  to  whom  also  he 
gave  testimony,  and  said,  I  have  tound  David  the  son 
ot  Jesse,  a  man"^  after  mine  own  heart,  which  shall  ful- 
fil all  my  will. 


m  Jadlth  2  :  16 . 


1  Sam.  8:5 o  1  Sam.  10  :  1 ....  p  1  Sam.  31 :  6 ....  q  2  Sam.  5  :  3  ....  r  1  Sam.  13  :  14. 


The  fact  that  God  ordered  their  destruction  has 

given  rise  to  much  perplexity.  Concerning  this, 
it  must  sufiSce  here  to  say  :  (1.)  That  the  divine 
command  to  destroy  these  nations  is  not  more 
perplexing  than  the  divine  providence  which  has 
uniformly  destroyed  or  driven  out  savage  tribes 
to  make  room  for  a  people  possessing  a  higher 
civilization.  The  extermination  of  the  aborigines 
of  Palestine  is  not  a  stranger  fact,  to  one  who  be- 
lieves in  God's  controlling  providence,  than  the  ex- 
termination of  the  aborigines  of  North  America. 
(2.)  That  God  deals  with  nations  as  well  as  individ- 
uals, and  when  a  nation  becomes  hopelessly  cor- 
rupt he  destroys  it ;  that  in  his  Word  he  repeat- 
edly declares  this  principle  of  his  government  in 

the    most    solemn    manner    (UaiahS:  I-6;  Jer.  4:27-31; 

Ezek.,  chaps.  15, 25, 26,  etc.) ;  and  that  Isracl  was  the 
executioner  appointed  to  inHict  his  judgment 
upon  an  idolatrous,  cruel,  lascivious,  and  hope- 
lessly corrupt  people.  On  their  character,  see 
Lyman  Abbott's  Religious  Diet.,  art.  Canaanites. 
— By  Lot.  The  division  of  the  land  among  the 
twelve  tribes  was  effected  by  lot,  by  Joshua  (josh. 

ch.  13,  etc.). 

20.  And  after  that  he  gave  judges.    The 

history  of  the  Jewish  people  may  be  divided 
politically  into  four  eras  :  (1)  the  formative  pe- 
riod under  Moses  and  Joshua;  (2)  that  under 
the  judges,  from  the  death  of  Joshua  to  the 
days  of  Samuel ;  (3)  that  under  the  kings,  from 
the  accession  of  Saul  to  the  captivity ;  (4)  that 
in  which  the  remnant  of  the  nation  were  tribu- 
tary to  and  dependent  on  other  nations,  from 
the  days  of  Nehemiah  to  the  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem. The  judges  here  mentioned  were  the 
executive  head  of  the  nation  during  the  period 
between  the  occupancy  of  Palestine  under  Joshua 
and  the  accession  of  Saul.  They  were  specially 
raised  up  and  appointed  by  God  for  the  deliv- 
erance and  government  of  the  nation ;  were  gen- 
erally military  leaders ;  were  sometimes  con- 
temporaries, two  governing  at  the  same  time 
in  different  portions  of  the  country.  Their  his- 
tory is  all  contained  in  the  book  of  Judges. 
There  were  fifteen  in  all,  viz.  :  Othniel,  Ehud, 
Shamgar,  Deborah  and  Barak,  Gideon,  Abime- 
lech,  Tola,  Jair,  Jepthah,  Ibzan,  Elon,  Abdon, 
Samson,  Eli  and  Samuel. — About  the  space 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  This 
agrees  with  the  chronology  of  Josephus,  who 
allows  for  the  entire  period  from  the  Exodus  to 
the  building  of  the  temple,  593  years  (Ant.  8 : 2-11), 


that  is,  in  the  wilderness  40  years,  under  Joshua 
25  years  (Ant.  6 : 1, 29),  under  judges  443  years, 
under  Saul  40  years,  under  David  40  years,  under 
Solomon  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  Temple 
4  years  (1  Kings  6 :  i),  total  592.  It  agrees  also  with 
the  chronology  of  the  book  of  Judges,  the  spaces 
of  time  in  which  book,  added  together,  equal 
450  years.  It  does  not  agree  with  1  Kings  6  : 1, 
which  states  that  Solomon  began  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Temple  in  the  480th  year  after  the 
children  of  Israel  were  come  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt.  Allowing  as  before  40  years  for  the  wil- 
derness, 25  under  Joshua,  80  under  Saul  and 
David,  and  4  under  Solomon,  total  149,  but  331 
years  would  be  left  for  the  period  of  the  Judges. 
There  is,  however,  good  reason  to  doubt  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  date  given  in  1  Kings  6:1.  It 
is  the  only  passage  in  the  0.  T.  which  contains 
the  idea  of  dating  from  an  era.  The  verse  is 
quoted  by  Origen  without  the  date,  and  it  is 
believed  by  good  critics  to  be  an  interpolation 
of  the  third  century.  (See  Bible  Commentary  on 
1  Kings  6:1.)  Here,  at  all  events,  Paul  follows 
the  chronology  generally  received  among  the 
Jews,  as  is  evident  both  from  Josephus  and  from 
the  book  of  Judges.  For  other  explanations  of 
the  seeming  discrepancy  see  AlfonVn  Greek  Tes- 
tament.—  Until  Samuel  the  prophet.  So 
designated,  not  because  the  first  of  the  pro- 
phets, for  Melchizedek,  Moses,  and  others  were 
prophets  before  him,  but  because  the  first  of 
the  line  of  prophetic  teachers,  which  continued 
without  a  break  from  his  time  down  to  and 
through  the  captivity,  and  because  he  organized 
the  school  of  the  prophets,  and  gave  to  this  form 
of  religious  teaching  an  impulse  which  was  never 
lost  so  long  as  the  nation  preserved  its  individu- 
ality. 

21.  And  afterward  they  desired  a  king. 
1  Sam.,  ch.  8.  So  little  Biblical  authority  is 
there  for  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  right  of 
kings,  that  the  inauguration  of  kingly  authority 
in  Israel  was  in  the  nature  of  an  apostasy.  It 
was  demanded  by  the  people,  who  were  dissat- 
isfied with  the  government  which  God  had  ap- 
pointed, and  who  desired  a  king  in  order  to  be 
like  the  other  heathen  nations. — By  the  space 
of  forty  years.  The  length  of  Saul's  reign  is 
not  mentioned  in  the  0.  T. ;  the  statement  here 
agrees  with  Josephus  (Ant.  6  ■  14, 9). 

22.  And  when  he  had  removed  him. 
The  decree  of  the  removal  and  the  immediate 


154 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIIT. 


23  Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God,  according  to  kis 
promise,  raised*  unto  Israel'  a  Saviour,- Jesus: 
,     24  When  John"  had  firbt  preached,  before  his  com- 
iug,  the  baptism  of  repentance  to  all  the  people  of  Israel. 

25  And  as  John  fulfilled  his  course,  he  said.  Whom 
think  ye  that  I  am?  I  am  not  he.  But,  behold,  there 
comelli  one  after  me,  whose  shoes  of  his  feet  I  am  not 
worthy  to  loose. 

26  Men  and  brethren,  children  of  the  stock  of  Abra- 
ham, and  whosoever  among  you  feareth  God,  to  you^ 
is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent. 

27  For  they  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  and  their  rul- 


ers, because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the  voices  of 
the  prophets  which  are  read  every  sabbath  day,  they  " 
have  fulfilled  them  in  condemning  him. 

28  And  though  they  found  no  cause  of  death  in  hzjn, 
yet  desired  they  Pilate  that  he  should  be  slain. 

29  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written 
of  him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree,  and  laid 
him  in  a  sepulchre. 

30  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead  : 

31  And  he  was  seen  ^  many  days  of  them  which 
came  up  with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are 
his  witnesses  uuto  the  people. 


e  Ps.  132  :  11 t  Matt.  1  :  21 ....  u  Matt.  3  :  1-11 . . . .  v  Matt.  10  :  6  . 


cause  of  it  is  reported  in  1  Sam.,  ch.  15;  David 
was  almost  immediately  after  anointed,  privately 
(i  Sam.,  ch.  16) ;  but  Saul  was  not  finally  removed 
till  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  later,  when  slain 
on  the  field  of  battle,  and  not  till  then  was  David 
publicly  recognized  as  king.— To  whom  also 
he  gave  testimony.  No  passage  in  the  O.  T. 
exactly  corresponds  to  the  language  here.  The 
reference  is  probably  to  1  Sam.  15  :  14 ;  comp. 
Psalm  89  :  20,  21.  The  latter  clause  of  the  sen- 
tence here  interprets  the  first  clause  ;  David  was 
a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  because  the  domi- 
nant purpose  of  his  life  was  to  do  God's  will, 
not  his  own,  and  to  exalt  God,  not  himself.  In 
this  respect  he  was  a  type  of  the  Messiah.  (Psaim 
40 : 7 ;  Heb.  10 : 7).  If  Dcut.  ch.  1  was  the  Scripture 
lesson  for  the  day  (see  vers.  17,  18,  note),  we 
have  a  key  to  the  structure  of  Paul's  discourse. 
He  begins  there,  with  Exodus,  and  leads  on,  by 
a  rapid  historical  resume,  to  the  time  of  David, 
through  whom  the  Messiah  was  promised  to 
Israel. 

23.  According  to  his  promise.  See  Psalm 
89  :  35-37  ;  132  :  11 ;  Isaiah  11  : 1-10 ;  Jer.  23  :  5, 
6 ;  SS  :  15,  16.  These  promises  were  so  explicit 
that  it  was  the  uniform  belief  of  the  Pharisees 
that  the  Messiah  would  be  of  the  seed  of  David. 
See  Matt.  22  :  42.— Raised  unto  Israel.  Kather, 
Brought  unto  Israel.  (The  best  reading  is  ij'ywyf >' 
not  iiynf^iv.)  The  original  does  not  imply  that 
the  Messiah  was  raised  up  for  Israel,  to  the 
exclusion  of  others,  but  brought  unto  Israel, 
whether  for  them  only,  or  for  others  through 
them,  is  not  indicated.— When  John  had  first 
preached.  Heralded,  going  before,  as  a  courier 
before  the  king.  See  Luke  3  : 1-18.  Christ  did 
not  begin  his  public  ministry  till  John's  was 
closed  by  his  imprisonment  (Matt.  4  :  12),  As 
the  clearest  prophecies  of  the  Messiah's  coming 
were  made  to  and  through  David,  so  the  last 
were  made  by  John,  whose  preaching  had 
aroused  the  whole  nation ;  the  rumors  of  it 
doubtless  had  extended  among  all  the  dispersed 

Jews    (Matt.   3:6;    Jolin    1   :   X^,  44  ;    Acts    19   :  s).  —  To 

all  the  people  of  Israel.     Not  that  he  had 
,  preached    to    all    Israel,  for    his  ministry  was 
local,  confined  not  only  to  Palestine,   but  ap- 
parently to  one  locality  in  Palestine ;    but  he 


preached  the  necessity  of  repentance  to  all, 
Pharisee  and  Sadducee  as  well  as  publican  (Matt. 
3:7,8). — As  John  fulfilled  his  course.  His 
appointed  mission.  He  filled  it  to  the  full  and 
departed ;  Christ's  mission  is  not  fulfilled  and 
will  not  be  till  the  end  come,  and  he  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  is  satisfied. — He  said. 
Was  accustomed  to  say.  The  imperfect  tense  car- 
ries with  it  the  idea  of  habitual  action.  For 
illustration  of  such  saying  see  John  1 :  19-23. 
For  explanation  of  metaphor  of  shoe-latchet, 
see  Matt.  3  :  11,  note. 

26-28.  Children  of  the  stock  of  Abra- 
ham, and  Avhoever  among  yon  feareth 
God.  This  Includes  both  Jews  and  those  Gen- 
tiles who  accepted  Jehovah  as  their  God,  and 
this  whether  they  had  been  circumcised  or  no. 
See  on  verse  10. — To  you.  Some  MSS.  have  to 
us;  Tischendorf  adopts  that  reading;  Alford 
retains  the  reading  of  the  text. — The  Avord  of 
this  salvation.  The  news  that  such  a  Saviour 
has  come  into  the  world.  Observe  that,  implied- 
ly, faith  in  and  allegiance  to  one  Supreme  God  is 
a  condition  precedent  to  the  acceptance  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  the  Gospel  is  offered  only  to  those  that 
fear  God.  On  the  nature  of  the  fear  here  indi- 
cated, see  ch.  9  :  31,  note.  —  Because  they 
knew  him  not.  The  rulers  then  did  not  recog- 
nize in  Jesus  the  Messiah  of  prophecy.  With 
this  agrees  ch.  3  :  17 ;  and  it  interprets  Christ's 
prayer  (Luke  23 :  34),  showing  it  applicable  to  all 
who  partook  in  the  crucifixion. — Nor  yet  the 
voices  of  the  prophets.  See  2  Cor.  3  :  14. 
For  explanation  of  this  ignorance  see  Matt.  13 :  14, 
15.  The  same  ignorance  exists  to-day,  not  only 
among  the  Jews,  but  in  all  who  either  read  the 
Bible  with  indifference  and  unconcern,  or  inter- 
pret it  through  their  prejudices  and  preposses- 
sions. Observe  that  ignorance  is  not  always  an 
excuse  for  sin.— Have  fulfilled  them  in  con- 
demning him.  See  ch.  2  :  23,  note— Though 
they  found  no  cause  of  death  in  him,  yet 
desired  they  Pilate  that  he  should  be 
slain.  This  is  literally  true.  Even  in  the  trial 
before  the  Sanhedrim,  no  ground  for  Christ's 
condemnation  could  be  made  out  by  even  su- 
borned witnesses  (Matt.  26 :  60),  and  he  was  at  last 
condemned  to  die  on  his  own  declaration  of  his 


Ch.  XIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


155 


32  And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that 
the  promise  y  which  was  made  unto  the  fatners, 

33  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children, 
in  that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again;  as  it  is  also 
written  in  the  second  psalm,  Thou' art  my  Son,  this 
day  have  I  begotten  thee. 

34  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from 
the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he 


said  on  this  wise,  I  will  g^ve  you  the  sure  mercies  of 
David. 

35  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  "  another /.ra/wz,  Thou 
shalt  not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption. 

36  For  David,  after  he  had  served  his  own  genera- 
tion by  the  will  of  God,  fell  "on  sleep,  and  was  laid 
unto  his  fathers,  and  saw  corruption  ; 

37  But  he,  whom  God  "=  raised  again,  saw  no  corrup- 
tion. 


y  Rom.  4  :  13 . . . . »  Ps.  2  :  7 a  Ps.  16  :  10 . . . .  b  1  Kings  2  :  10 ....  c  ch.  2 : 


mission,  demanded  of  him  by  the  high-priest. 
When  brought  before  Pilate  tlie  priesthood  were 
equally  unable  to  assign  a  cause  for  the  sentence 
which  they  required  (Luke  23 :  22, 23). 

29-31.  They  took  him  down  from  the 
tree.  The  body  of  Jesus  was  taken  down  and 
entombed  by  friends,  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and 
Nicodemus  (John  19 :  38-42),  but  it  was  done  by  per- 
mission of  PUate,  and  the  tomb  was  afterward 
sealed  and  a  watch  set  by  the  Pharisees  and  by 
Pilate's  direction  (Matt.  27  :  62-66).  Thus,  here, 
Paul,  who  enters  into  no  detail,  treats  the  en- 
tombing as  part  of  the  endeavor  of  Christ's  foes 
to  insure  his  utter  destruction,  and  as  increas- 
ing, as  it  did,  the  triumph  of  his  resurrection. — 
But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead.  He 
passes  by  the  crucifixion  in  a  word,  to  dwell  on 
the  resurrection  as  the  great  and  indisputable 
evidence  of  Christ's  mission  and  authority.  So 
also  Peter  in  chaps.  2  and  3,  and  Paul  in  1  Cor., 
ch.  15. — Who  are  his  witnesses  unto  the 
people.  Of  the  evidence  of  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus,  see  Vol.  I,  p.  330. 

32-37.  The  apostle  now  comes  to  the  con- 
clusion of  his  sermon,  to  which  he  has  gradually 
led  the  way  by  this  historical  summary,  viz.,  the 
glad  tidings  that  the  promised  Messiah  has  come 
to  Israel,  this  fact  being  certified  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  from  the  dead. — The  promise 
which  was  made  unto  the  fathers.  The 
apostle  treats  the  O.  T.,  with  all  its  types  and 
prophecies,  as  one  promise  of  a  Messiah,  who 
should  be  both  a  Prince  and  a  Deliverer. — In 
that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus.  Not  again, 
which  does  not  represent  any  equivalent  expres- 
sion in  the  original.  Some  scholars  understand 
that  Paul  here  refers  to  the  fact  that  God  raised 
up  Jesus  by  sending  him  into  the  world  to  fulfill 
the  special  mission  of  salvation.  For  analogous 
use  of  the  same  phraseology,  see  Exod.  9  :  16 ; 
Judges  3  :  16  ;  Luke  1  :  69 ;  Acts  3  :  33.  It  is  so 
interpreted  here  by  Calvin,  Bengel,  Olshausen, 
and  Alexander.  In  support  of  this  view  is  the 
fact  that  Psalm  3  :  7,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee,  refers  not  to  the  resurrec- 
tion, but  to  the  incarnation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Others  understand  that  Paul  here  refers  to  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  So  Luther, 
Meyer,   Alford,   Hackett.     This    seems   to    me 


clearly  the  correct  view.  (1)  It  agrees  with  the 
context ;  for  Paul  is  speaking  here  not  of  the  in- 
carnation, but  of  the  resurrection ;  (3)  it  best 
agrees  with  the  original,  the  verb  rendered  rained 
up  {avLoriiui)  when  used  by  Paul  of  Christ  being 
always  employed  to  designate  the  resurrection ; 
(3)  it  does  not  disagree  with  the  Psalm ;  for 
though  Christ  was  not  begotten  as  the  Son  of 
God  on  the  day  of  his  resurrection,  that  resur- 
rection is  the  chief  external  evidence  that  he  is 
in  a  peculiar  sense  the  Son  of  God. — Second 
Psalm.  Some  MSS.  have  first  Psalm,  what  we 
now  regard  as  the  first  Psalm  having  been  re- 
garded in  ancient  times  by  some  as  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  whole  collection.  The  reference  is  to 
Psalm  2  :  7. — Now  no  more  to  return  to  cor- 
ruption. Cornp.  Rom.  6  :  9,  and  observe  in  the 
analogy  of  the  language  one  of  the  numerous 
parallels  between  Paul's  speeches  in  the  Book 
of  Acts  and  his  epistles. — I  will  give  you  the 
sure  mercies  of  David.  That  is,  the  assured 
mercies  promised  to  David — stire,  because  prom- 
ised by  Him  whose  word  cannot  be  broken ;  mer- 
cies, because  not  deserved,  and  not  bestowed  on 
the  ground  of  desert,  but  out  of  God's  free,  un- 
bought  love.  Chief  among  these  mercies  was 
the  promise  to  raise  up  of  David's  seed  a  Messiah 
unto  Israel.  See  verse  33,  note  and  ref.  See 
also  Psalm  89. — After  he  had  served  his  own 
generation.  Or,  as  in  the  margin,  served  in  his 
0W71  generation.  Either  translation  is  admissible  ; 
the  former  is  preferable,  in  that  it  brings  out 
more  clearl5'  the  truth  that  he  served  men  in 
obeying  the  will  of  God.  Observe  that  only  thus 
can  we  serve  God,  by  obeying  his  will  in  ser\'ing 
our  fellow-men  (Matt.  25 :  3i-46). — Fell  on  sleep. 
An  old  English  expression,  equivalent  to  fell 
asleep.  It  indicates  a  peaceful  death,  in  the 
inner  experience,  not  necessarily  in  the  outer  cir- 
cumstances, for  it  is  used  of  the  martyr  Stephen 
(ch.  7 :  eo).  It  is  employed  in  the  O.  T.  in  describ- 
ing David's  death  (1  Kings  2 :  10).  The  argument  of 
Paul  here  is  precisely  the  same  in  spirit  with, 
though  different  in  form  from,  that  of  Peter  in 
ch.  3  :  2.5-31.  See  notes  there.  David  speaks 
primarily  of  himself;  his  hope  of  immortality 
for  himself  and  all  the  saints  of  God  was  realized 
in  the  undying  life  of  the  soul ;  but  the  body  was 
made  subject  to  decay,   and   saw  corruption; 


156 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIII. 


38  Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  breth- 
ren, that  through''  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forgiveness  of  sins : 

jq  And  by  him,^  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all 
thmgs,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law 
of  JVfoses. 


40  Beware,  therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you, 
which  is  spoken  of  in'  the  prophets  ; 

41  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish  : 
for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which  ye  shall 
in  no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you. 

42  And  when  the  Jews  were  gone  out  of  the  syna- 


d  Dan.  9:  34;  Lake  24  :  47  ;  IJohn  2  :  12 . . ..  e  Isa.  53:  U  ;  Hab.  2:4;  Rom.  3:28;  8:1 fisa.  29:14:  Hab.  1 :  5. 


Christ  saw  no  corruption ;  his  body  knew  not  the 
dissolution  of  death ;  and  in  him,  not  in  David, 
was  the  hope  of  the  Psalmist  fully  realized. 

38,  39.  Be  it  known  therefore  to  you, 
men,  brethren,  that  through  this  one  to 
you  is  proclaimed  the  remission  of  sins; 
and  from  all  from  which  you  could  not, 
in  the  law  of  Moses,  be  justified,  in  him 
every  one  having  faith  is  justified.  Comp. 
carefully  with  the  English  verse  this,  which  is  as 
nearly  as  possible  a  literal  translation  of  the  ori- 
ginal. The  passage  itself  is  one  of  special  impor- 
tance, because  it  is  the  first  dear  enunciation  by 
Paul  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  alone, 
which  fotms  the  central  truth  of  Pauline  tliedlogy. 
For  his  fuller  statement  of  this  doctrine,  see 
Rom.,  chaps.  1-3,  and  notes  there.  Observe 
here,  (1)  that  Paul  does  not  say,  as  in  our  Eng- 
lish version,  through  this  man;  there  is  not  in 
the  original  the  verbal  infelicity  involved  in  rep- 
resenting the  remission  of  sins  by  or  through 
mart,  or  even  through  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of 
man  ;  (2)  that  which  is  proclaimed  is  not  merely 
the  forgiveness,  but  the  remission,  i.  e.,  the  put- 
ting away  of  sins,  as  explained  by  Psalm  51 : 1, 9 ; 
Isaiah  1  :  18 ;  Micah  7  :  19  (comp.  Matt,  i :  21,  note) ; 
(3)  that  the  doctrine  of  the  absolute  remission  of 
sins  was  proclaimed  in  the  O.  T.  in  these  and 
many  kindred  passages,  and  by  abundant  sym- 
bols (sec  John  1 :  29,  note),  but  that  it  was  reserved 
for  the  N.  T.  to  reveal  clearly  the  One  through 
whom  this  remission  of  sins  is  afforded,  by  whose 
voluntary  sacrifice  God  can  be  both  just  and  the 
justifler  of  them  that  believe  ;  (4)  that  the  latter 
clause  (ver.  39)  is  not  additional  to,  but  explanato- 
ry of,  the  preceding  clause  (ver.  ss) ;  there  are  not 
two  things  proclaimed,  the  remission  of  sins  and 
justification,  but  remission  of  sins,  which  is  ex- 
plained to  include  justification  from  all  things  from 
which  the  law  could  not  justify  ;  (5)  that  in  ver, 
39,  Paul  does  not  intimate  that  the  law  justifies 
from  some  things  and  Christ  completes  the  work, 
justifying  from  those  things  from  which  the  law 
cannot,  for  the  law  is  wholly  without  power  to 
justify  (Rom.  3 :  20;  8:3;  Gal.  3 :  ii) ;  the  language 
here  is  equivalent  to  From  all  (sins)  every  one 
having  faith  is  justified  in  him,  from  (none  of) 
which  sins  could  ye  be  justified  in  the  law  ;  (6)  in  the 
law  is  not  equivalent  to  by  the  law ;  the  declara- 
tion is  much  broader  than  our  English  transla- 
tion renders  it ;  not  only  we  cannot  be  justified 
by  the  law,  but  we  cannot  while  remaining  in 


(under)  it,  and  endeavoring  to  secure  divine  favor 
by  works  of  merit  of  our  own ;  see  Gal,  5:4; 
Phil.  3:9;  (1)  in  him  is  to  be  construed  not  with 
believe,  but  with  justified ;  i.  e.,  Paul  does  not 
say  every  one  believing  iji,  him  is  justified,  but 
every  one  having  faith  is  justified  in  him, ;  Corne- 
lius was  justified  in  Christ,  having  faith  in  the 
divine  grace  and  goodness  before  the  news  of 
Christ's  sacrifice  for  sin  had  been  proclaimed  to 
him  (ch.  lo) ;  (8)  beware  of  taking  the  phrase 
which  I  have  rendered  having  faith  (niaTivujv)  as 
equivalent  to  believing,  in  the  intellectual  sense ; 
the  original  rarely,  if  ever,  has  that  signification 
in  the  N.  T.,  certainly  not  here  ;  to  have  faith  is 
to  trust  in  the  mercy  of  God  simply,  in  contrast 
with  the  spirit  which  seeks  to  stand  in  the  di- 
vine presence  on  the  ground,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
of  personal  merit,  or  righteousness,  or  works 
wrought ;  (9)  on  the  meaning  of  the  term  justi- 
fied, see  Rom.  3  :  20-31,  notes  ;  here  it  must  suf- 
fice to  say  that  to  \ie  justified  is  not,  in  Paul's  use 
of  the  term.  If  ever  in  the  N.  T.,  to  be  made  just 
or  righteous,  but  to  be  put  in  the  place  of  one 
against  whom  no  sentence  of  condemnation  has 
been  pronounced ;  it  is  interpreted  by  such 
passages  as  Rom.  8  : 1.  Some  of  my  statements 
in  this  note  involve  disputed  points  in  ^criticism 
and  theology.  To  enter  into  these  discussions 
would  far  transcend  the  limits  of  this  work.  In- 
cidentally, the  different  points  are  elsewhere  dis- 
cussed in  this  Commentary,  as  indicated  by  the 
references  given. 

40,  41.  Paul  closes  his  address  by  a  warning 
against  rejecting  the  Gospel,  possibly  incited 
thereto  by  signs  of  that  opposition  which  the 
declaration  that  its  offer  of  mercy  was  to  every 
one  having  faith  always  provoked  among  the 
Jews,  and  which  broke  out  in  violent  and  blas- 
phemous opposition  here  (ver.  45).  The  quotation 
is  from  Habakkuk  1  :  5,  and  follows  the  Septua- 
gint;  for  variations  between  that  and  the  He- 
brew, comp.  the  language  here  with  that  in 
Habakkuk.  The  prediction  there  refers  to 
judgments  to  be  inflicted  by  the  Chaldean  armies 
on  the  Jewish  nation.  Observe  that  Paul  does 
not  here  say  that  this  prophecy  was  about  to  be 
fulfilled.  He  simply  uses  the  language  of  the 
prophet  to  enforce  his  own  warning,  "as  if  he 
had  said,  'Be  upon  your  guard,  lest,  by  rejecting 
the  salvation  which  I  have  now  offered  in  the 
name  of  your  Messiah,  you  should  call  down 
judgments  on  yourselves  as  fearful  and  incredi- 


Ch.  XIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


157 


fogue,  the  Gentiles  besought  that  these  words  might 
e  preached  to  them    he  next  sabbath. 

43  Now  wnen  the  congregation  was  broken  up. 
many  of  the  Jews  and  religious  proselytes  followed 
Paul  and  Barnabas  :  who,  speaking  to  them,  persuad- 
ed them  to  continues  in  the  grace  of  God. 

44  And  the  next  sabbath  day  came  almost  the  whole 
city  together,  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

45  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the  multitudes,  they  were 
filled  with  envy,  and  spake  against  those  things  which 


were  spoken  by  Paul,  contradicting  *■  and  blasphem- 
ing. 

46  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  waxed  bold,  and  said. 
It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first ' 
have  been  spoken  to  you:  but  seeing  ye  put  it  trom 
you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting  lite, 
lo,  we  J  turn  to  the  Gentiles. 

47  For  so  hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying,  I  ^ 
have  set  thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Geiuilcs,  that  thou 
shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  eartli. 


gch.  14:  22;  Heb.  6  :  II,  12;  12:  15.... h  ch.  18  :  6.... i  Matt.  10  :  6  ;  Luke  24  :  47  ;  Rom.  1  ; 

k  Isa.  49  :  6. 


16.... j  Deut.  32  :  21 ;  Matt.  21  :  43;  Rum.  10;  19. 


ble  as  those  predicted  by  Habakkuk  and  inflicted 
by  the  hands  of  the  Chaldeans  on  our  unbeliev- 
ing fathers.'" — (Alexander.) 

43,  43.  But  as  they  were  goinsr  out  of 
the  synagogue  they  besought  that  these 
words  might  be  preached  to  them.  This  is 
the  best  reading,  and  is  adopted  by  both  Alford 
and  Tischendorf.  It  has  been  changed  to  the 
form  in  our  English  version,  probably  because 
it  was  considered  necessary  to  show  that  this  re- 
quest was  preferred  by  the  Gentiles,  otherwise 
it  would  be  inconsistent  with  the  hostility  of  the 
Jews  indicated  in  verse  45.  In  fact,  however, 
the  change  in  popular  sentiment  is  just  such  as 
often  occurs  where  convictions  are  not  deeply 
settled  ;  moreover  it  is  neither  necessary  to  sup- 
pose that  all  the  Jews  united  in  this  request,  or 
in  that  persecution. — The  next  Sabbath.  Or, 
The  Sabbath  between.  The  original  is  capable  of 
either  translation,  but  that  of  our  English  ver- 
sion is  adopted  by  the  best  critics  (Meyer,  Alford, 
Alexander  and  Hackett) ;  if  the  other  be  adopted 
the  meaning  will  be,  on  one  of  the  week-day 
meetings  of  the  synagogue.  These  were  held  on 
Monday  and  Thursday,  and  are  said  to  have  been 
arranged  by  Ezra. — Now  when  the  congre- 
gation was  broken  up.  Dismissed  ;  set  free. 
— Many  of  the  Jews  and  religious  prose- 
lytes. Literally,  The  ivorshippiiiff  strangers; 
here,  the  Greeks  who  accepted  Jehovah  as  their 
God,  and  worshipped  with  the  Jews.  On  the 
proselytes,  and  their  division  into  two  classes, 
see  Matt.  23  :  15,  note. — To  remain  in  the 
grace  of  God.  Or,  Of  tfie  Lord,  i.  e.,  Christ ; 
there  is  good  authority  for  either  reading.  The 
burden  of  the  apostolic  preaching  was  that  they 
should  accept  salvation  as  a  free  gift,  and  rest 
on  the  free  grace  of  God,  not  on  uheir  own  obe- 
dience to  the  law.     Comp.  Phil.  3  :  9. 

44,  45.  Came  almost  the  whole  city  to- 
gether. To  the  synagogue.  The  throng  em- 
braced both  Jew  and  GentUe ;  not  merely  the 
proselytes,  but  also  those  who  had  not  thereto- 
fore accepted  Judaism.  It  was  this  thronging 
of  their  synagogue  by  the  Gentiles  which  aroused 
the  opposition  of  the  Jews.  "They  could  not 
endure  the  notion  of  others  being  freely  admit- 
ted to  the  same  religious  privileges  with  them- 


selves. This  was  always  the  sin  of  the  Jewish 
people.  Instead  of  realizing  their  position  in  the 
world  as  the  prophetic  nation,  for  the  good  of 
the  whole  earth,  they  indulged  the  self-exalting 
opinion  that  God's  highest  blessings  were  only 
for  themselves. "  —  ( Conybeare  and  Howson. ) 
The  same  feeling  still  underlies  race  and  national 
pride  and  prejudice.  —  Filled  with  envy. 
Rather,  With  zeal.  On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
(Jij/loc)  see  ch.  5  :  17,  note.  It  is  literally  heat  or 
boiling. — Contradicting  and  blaspheming. 
Not  only  opposing  by  argument,  but  also  by 
sneers,  and  denunciation,  and  evil  speaking.  To 
blaspheme  is  here,  not  to  take  God's  name  in  vain, 
but  to  speak  evil  and  slanderous  words.  In  the 
first  centuries  various  forms  of  licentiousness 
and  unnatural  crime  were  charged  upon  the 
Christians,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them  and 
their  doctrines  into  disrepute. 

46, 47.  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  speak- 
ing, boldly  said.  They  had  before  implied  (see 
ver.  26),  rather  than  openly  and  freely  asserted, 
the  universality  of  the  offer  of  salvation. — It 
was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you. 
Not,  It  was  proper,  nor.  It  was  our  duty,  but.  It 
was  necessary;  because  it  was  the  divine  pur- 
pose, that  the  Jews  should  have  the  opportunity 
to  accept  and  become  themselves  the  bearers 
to  others  of  the  message  of  salvation.  See  ch. 
3  :  26  ;  Rom.  1  :  16.— Since  ye  thrust  it  away. 
As  Christ  rejected  the  human  (john  6 :  is)  so  these 
the  divine  crown.  Comp.  for  meaning  of  the 
word  and  illustration  of  their  Spirit  ch.  7  :  27,  39 ; 
1  Tim.  1  :  19.  See  also  Luke  19  :  14.— And 
judge  yourselves  not  worthy  of  eternal 
life.  Observe  that  as  every  soul  by  its  memory 
keeps  the  record  of  its  own  life  (Laxei6:25t,  so 
every  soul  utters  its  own  condemnation.  We 
are  daily  judging  ourselves  unworthy  of  di- 
vine grace  in  every  act  of  refusal  to  accept 
and  rely  upon  it. — We  turn  to  the  Gentiles. 
Hitherto  their  preaching  had  been  to  the  Jews ; 
the  Gentiles  had  been  only  incidentally  included 
in  their  meaning.  So  Wesley  and  Whitfield  went 
to  the  fields  to  preach  when  the  pulpits  were 
closed  against  them. — So  hath  the  Lord  com- 
manded*   The  quotation  is  from  Isaiah  49  :  6. 


158 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIIL 


48  And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were 
glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord  :  and  as  many ' 
as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed. 

49  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  published  through- 
out all  the  region. 

50  But  the  Jews  stirred  up  the  devout  and  honourable 
women,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  raised" 


persecution  against  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  expelled 
them  out  of  their  coasts. 

51  But  they  shook"  off  the  dust  of  their  feet  against 
them,  and  came  unto  Iconium. 

52  And  the  disciples  were  filled  with  joy,°  and  with 
the  Holy  Ghost. 


1  ch.  2  :  47  J  Rom.  8  :  : 


.  m  2  Tim.  3  :  11 . . . .  n  ch.  18  :  6  ;  Mark  6:11;  Luke  9  :  5 o  Matt.  5:12;  1  Thess.  1  :  6. 


The  command  there  is  clearly  given  to  Christ, 
and  to  his  ministers  only  through  him.  Comp. 
with  it  Matt.  4  :  16 ;  8  :  11. 

48.  They  were  glad.  Not  all  the  Gentiles ; 
but  as  it  was  characteristic  of  the  Jews  that  they 
contradicted  and  blasphemed  the  Gospel,  so  it 
was  characteristic  of  the  Gentiles  that  they  re- 
joiced in  and  honored  it.— As  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  life  believed.  This 
verse  is  a  battle-ground,  by  Calvin  and  by  Cal- 
vinistic  commentators  generally  it  is  regarded 
as  a  proof-text  of  the  doctrine  of  predestination. 
"This  ordaining  can  be  referred  only  to  the 
eternal  decree  of  God.  It  is  a  ridiculous  cavil 
to  refer  it  to  the  mind  of  those  who  believed,  as 
if  they  received  the  Gospel  who  were  properly 
disposed  in  their  minds." — (Calvin.)  The  Ar- 
minian  commentators  understand  the  word  ren- 
dered ordained  as  indicating  not  the  will  of  God, 
but  the  disposition 
y  of  the  believers.  So, 
apparently,  Adam 
Clarke:  "The  verb 
(rcirrcu  or  ruaaw)  sig- 
nifies to  place,  set, 
order,    appoint,    dis- 


pose ;  hence  it  has  been  considered  here  as  imply- 
ing the  disposition  or  readiness  of  mind  of  several 
persons  in  the  congregation,  such  as  the  reli- 
gious proselytes  mentioned  (ver.  43),  who  pos- 
sessed the  reverse  of  the  disposition  of  those 
Jews  who  spake  against  those  things,  contra- 
dicting and  blaspheming."  An  intermediate  view 
is  taken  by  some  commentators ;  thus  Alford : 
"The  Jews  had  judged  themselves  unworthy  of 
eternal  life :  the  Gentiles,  as  many  as  were  dis- 
posed to  eternal  life,  believed.  By  whom  so  dis- 
posed is  not  here  declared  ;  nor  need  the  word 
be  in  this  place  further  particularized.  We 
know  that  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  us  the  will 
to  believe,  and  that  the  preparation  of  the  heart 
is  of  Him  :  but  to  find  in  this  text  pre-ordination 
to  life  asserted,  is  to  force  both  the  word  and 
the  context  to  a  meaning  which  they  do  not  con- 
tain." That  the  word  here  rendered  ordained 
signifles  not  merely  a  disposition  of  mind  in  the 
actor,  but  a  determination  or  decision  affecting 
him  by  some  one  else,  and  here  by  God,  is,  I 
think,  clear  from  the  following  considerations: 
(1)  the  form  of  the  verb  which  is  the  passive 
participle  ;  they  were  disposed  by  some  power  or 
influence  acting  upon  them ;  (2)  from  the  verb 
itself  (raffffw)  which  signifies  not  a  mere  mental 
disposition  or  choice,  but  a  determination  or  de- 
cree.   For  its  use  by  Luke,  see  Luke  7:8;  Acts 


ICOMUM — IvONnEU 


15  :  2 ;  22  :  10  •,  28  :  23 ;  (3)  from  other  parallel 
teachings  of  the  N.  T.,  which  represent  faith  as 
the  result  of  divine  grace,  working  in  the  heart 


of  the  believer.  For  Luke's  recognition  of  this 
truth,  see  Luke  7:8;  Acts  2  :  47 ;  5  :  14  ;  22  :  10. 
Comp.  1  Cor.  3:6;  Phil.  2  :  13 ;  Kom.  8  :  29,  30, 


Ch.  XIV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


159 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

AND  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconium,  that  they  went 
both  together  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews, 
and  so  spake,  that  a  great  multitude,  both  of  the  Jews 
and  also  of  the  Greeks,  believed. 

2  But  the  unbelieving  Jews  stirred  up  the  Gentiles, 
and  made  their  minds  evil  affected  against  the  brethren. 

3  Long  time  therefore  abode  they  speaking  boldly 
in  the  Lord,  which  gave  p  testimony  unto  the  word  of 


his  grace,  and  granted  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done 
by  their  hands. 

4  But  the  multitude  of  the  city  was  divided:  and 
parf  held  with  the  Jews,  and  part  with  the  apostles. 

5  And  when  there  was  an  assault  made,  both  of  the 
Gentiles  and  also  of  the  Jews,  with  their  rulers,  to  use 
them  despitefuUy,  and  to  stone  them, 

6  They  were  ware  of  it^  and  fled'  unto  Lystra  and 
Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaonia,  and  unto  the  region  that 
lieth  round  about: 


p  Mark  16  :  20 ;  Heb.  2:4 q  ch.  28  :  24 .    . .  r  Matt.  10  :  23. 


But  there  is  certainly  nothing  in  this  passage  to 
indicate  that  the  divine  disposing  of  the  Gentiles 
to  believe  was  an  eternal  or  an  irresistible  de- 
cree ;  nothing  more  is  indicated  than  an  effectual 
work  of  grace,  accepted  by  the  Gentiles  and  for 
that  reason  effectual. 

49-52.  Was  published  throughout  all 
the  region.  Not  by  the  Apostles,  for  the  his- 
tory goes  on  with  the  record  of  their  personal 
labors,  but  by  the  private  ministry  of  the  new 
disciples,  as  in  ch.  8:14;  11:19. — But  the 
Jews  stirred  up  the  devout  and  honora- 
ble women.  That  is,  Jewish  proselytes  of 
social  influence.  Honorable  refers  to  social  posi- 
tion, not  to  personal  character.  Women  exerted 
a  strong  influence  both  for  and  against  Chris- 
tianity. It  was  probably  by  them  that  the  oppo- 
sition of  the  chief  men  of  the  city  was  incited. 
To  the  persecution  here  mentioned  Paul  refers 
in  1  Tim.  3  :  11.— They  shook  off  the  dust  off 
■Jheir  feet.  As  Christ  directed  in  the  first  com- 
mission of  the  twelve.  See  Matt.  10  :  14  and 
note  there  for  explanation  of  this  symbolic  act. 

Iconium.  A  considerable  city  of  Asia  Minor, 
generally  considered  as  belonging  to  Lycaonia. 
It  lay  in  a  fertile  plain  at  the  foot  of  Taurus,  on 
the  great  line  of  communication  between  Ephesus 
and  the  more  eastern  cities  of  Tarsus  and  An- 
tioch,  and  the  Euphrates.  From  Pliny's  descrip- 
tion it  would  appear  to  have  been  a  populous  and 
important  city  at  the  time  of  Paul's  visit.  Under 
the  Byzantine  emperors  it  was  the  metropolis  of 
Lycaonia,  was  subsequently  captured  by  the 
Turks  and  made  the  capital  of  an  empire  whose 
sovereigns  took  the  title  of  Sultans  of  Iconium. 
During  this  period  of  its  history  it  acquired  its 
greatest  cexcbrity.  It  is  now  called  Koniyeh,  has 
a  population  variously  estimated  from  twenty  to 
thirty  thousand.  The  houses  are  mostly  of  stone 
or  sun-dried  brick,  and  are  poorly  built,  except 
the  mosques  and  palaces.  The  place  contains 
some  remains  and  inscriptions,  mostly  of  the 
Byzantine  period. — And  the  disciples  were 
filled  with  joy.  A  practical  commentary  on 
Matt.  5  :  11, 13.  Comp.  Acts  5  :  41,  The  disciples 
are  not  merely  Paul  and  Barnabas,  but  also  the 
new  converts.  

Ch.  14  : 1-28.  THE  MISSIONARY  TOUR  OF  THE  APOS- 
TLES COIsTINUED.  The  Gospel  a  swobd  (Matt.  10 :  34) 


— Credhlitt  is  as  antagonistic   to   the   Gospel 
AS  SKEPTICISM.— The  apostles  but  servants  ;  Christ 

THE   ONLY  DrVTNE   MASTER.— TUE  APOSTLES'   MISSION- 
AKT  ARGUMENT  TO  PAGANS. 

For  some  account  of  the  general  region  through 
which  the  apostles  passed  in  this  chapter  see 
Prel.  Note,  p.  144. 

1-3.  The  length  of  this  ministry  in  Iconium 
is  not  known  ;  in  so  rapid  a  missionary  journey  a 
few  months  would  answer  to  the  description 
here,  a  long  time.  The  Greeks  who  believed  were 
probably  Jewish  proselytes,  since  they  attended 
the  synagogue  service  ;  the  public  ministry  of 
the  apostles  in  Iconium  appears  to  have  been 
confined  to  the  synagogues.  How  the  unbeliev- 
ing Jews  evil  affected  the  minds  of  the  Gentiles 
is  not  indicated ;  not  impossibly  by  exciting 
political  prejudice  against  them  as  preachers  of 
another  kingdom  and  another  king  than  Caesar 
(oh.  16 :  20,  21) ;  or  it  may  be  that  tlieir  ministry 
against  idolatry  was  made  an  occasion  for  pro- 
voldng  a  Gentile  persecution  (ch.  19 :  26) ;  or  there 
may  be  some  historical  basis  for  the  Eoman 
Catholic  legend  of  St.  Thecla.  According  to 
this  story  she  was  converted  by  the  apostle's 
preaching,  and  refused  to  marry  her  betrothed ; 
the  refusal  resulted  in  Paul's  imprisonment  and 
banishment.  See  Conybeare  and  Hovvson,Vol.  I, 
ch.  6,  or  Mrs.  Jameson's  Sacred  and  Legendary 
Art,  Vol.  II,  p.  556.  The  language  here,  evil 
affected  against  the  brethren,  which  terra  is  a  cus- 
tomary N.  T.  designation  of  Christian  disciples 
(ch.  15 : 1, 3, 22, 23,  etc.)  indicates,  however,  not  a 
mere  personal  opposition  to  Paul,  but  an  enmity 
aroused  against  all  the  Christain  converts. 

4-7.  The  populace  of  the  city  was  di- 
vided. The  division  of  sentiment  affected  not 
merely  the  worshippers  in  the  synagogue,  hut 
the  people  throughout  the  city.  Such  public 
contentions  were  not  uncommon  in  the  hetero- 
geneous populations  of  these  Grecian  cities. — 
And  when  there  was  a  purpose  *  *  *  to 
use  them  despitefuUy.  Not,  an  assaidt  made. 
Of  course  they  would  have  been  aware  of  that. — 
And  fled.  As  Christ  had  directed  (Matt.  10 :  23). 
Prudence  is  the  twin  of  true  courage. — Lystra 
and  Derbe.  The  site  of  both  towns  is  uncer- 
tain. Lystra  was  undoubtedly  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  great  plain  of  Lycaonia ;  and  thero 


160 


\ 
THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIV, 


7  And  there  they  preached  the  gospel. 

8  And  there  sat  a  certain  man  at  Lystra,  impotent  in 
his  teat,  being  a  cripple "  from  his  mother's  womb,  who 
never  had  walked : 

9  The  same  heard  Paul  speak  :  who  stedfastly  be- 
holding him,  and  perceiving  that  he  had  laith'to  be 
healed, 


10  Said  with  a  loud  voice,  Stand  upright  on  thy  feet. 
And  he  leaped"  and  walked. 

11  And  when  the  people  saw  what  Paul  had  done, 
they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying  in  the  speech  of  Ly- 
caonia.  The  gods^  are  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness 
of  men. 

12  And  they  called  Barnabas.  Jupiter ;  and  Paul, 
Mercurius,  because  he  was  the  cnief  speaker. 


«  ch.  3  :  2 I  Matt.  9  :  28,  29 n  Isa.  35  :  6  . . . .  v  ch.  28  :  6. 


are  very  strong  reasons  for  identifying  its  site 
with  the  ruins  called  Bin-bir-Kilisseh,  at  the  base 
of  a  conical  mountain  of  volcanic  structure, 
named  the  Karadagh.  Here  are  the  remains  of 
a  great  number  of  churches ;  and  it  should  be 
noticed  that  Lystra  has  its  post-apostolic  Chris- 
tian history,  the  names  of  its  bishops  appearing 
in  the  records  of  early  councils.  Derbe  was  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  great  upland  plain  of  Lycaonia, 
somewhere  near  the  place  where  the  pass  called 
the  Cilician  Gates  opened  a  way  from  the  low 
plain  of  Cilicia  to  the  table-land  of  the  interior ; 
and  probably  it  was  a  stage  upon  the  great  road 
which  passed  this  way.  Lystra  was  the  home  of 
Timothy,  and  as  he  knew  of  the  persecutions  suf- 
fered by  Paul  in  this  tour  (2  Tim.  3 :  10, 11),  and  was 
already  a  disciple  at  the  time  of  Paul's  second 
visit  to  Lystra  (Actsis-.  1),  it  is  reasonably  sur- 
mised that  his  conversion  to  Christianity  took 
place  at  this  time  ;  that  he  was  converted  under 
Paul's  ministry,  is  indicated  by  1  Cor.  4  : 1.5,  17. 
It  is  a  notable  evidence  of  the  accuracy  of  Luke's 
narrative  that  no  persecution  in  Derbe  is  indi- 
cated in  this  chapter,  and  none  in  Paul's  refer- 
ence in  2  Tim.  3  :  10,  11,  to  the  persecutions  suf- 
fered during  this  journey.  —  Lycaonia.  One 
of  the  provinces  of  Asia  Minor,  formerly  within 
the  limits  of  Phrygia,  but  made  a  separate  prov- 
ince by  Augustus.  It  is  a  bare  and  dreary  region, 
unwatered  by  streams,  though  in  parts  liable  to 
occasional  inundations.  The  Lycaonians  seem 
to  have  had  a  language,  or  rather  a  dialect,  of 
their  own,  but  we  have  no  traces  of  it  remaining. 
The  best  authorities  speak  of  it  merely  as  a  cor- 
rupt Greek.  The  people  were  a  fierce  and  war- 
like race,  never  fully  subdued  by  the  Persians, 
and  conquered  rather  than  amalgamated  by  the 
Greeks. — They  were  preaching  the  Gospel. 
The  imperfect  tense  indicates  a  ministry  extend- 
ing over  some  period  of  time. 

8-10.  There  sat  a  certain  man.  No  men- 
tion is  made  of  any  sjmagogue  in  Lystra ;  it  is 
therefore  probable  that  Paul  was  preaching  in 
the  market-place  (see  ch.  17 :  n)  or  in  some  broad 
thoroughfare  of  the  city.  In  a  similar  manner 
the  missionaries  of  to-day  avail  themselves  of  the 
squares  and  public  streets  as  preaching  places. 
The  lame  man  was  sitting  near  by,  perhaps 
brought  hither  to  beg,  as  the  one  mentioned  in 
ch.  3  :  2. — Who  never  had  walked.    An  indi- 


cation of  the  hopeless  nature  of  his  disease. — 
The  same  was  hearing.  (iJzo^itT,  imperfect 
tense.)  Not  merely  heard,  but  ivas  listening  to 
Paul.— Who  *  *  *  perceived  that  he  had 
faith  to  be  saved  (oiocfijvat).  This  is  the  literal 
meaning  of  the  original  and  I  believe  its  meaning 
here  ;  if  so,  what  Paul  perceived  in  the  cripple 
was  not  an  expectation  of  a  miraculous  cure,  but 
a  spiritual  acceptance  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
This  made  the  remedy  possible.  This  faith  Paul 
perceived  in  the  expression  of  the  countenance. 
There  is  no  implication  of  any  supernatural 
knowledge  ;  rather  the  reverse ;  it  was  in  stead- 
fastbj  beholding  him  that  Paid  perceived  his  faith. 
— With  a  loud  voice.  Raising  his  voice  to 
attract  the  cripple's  attention. — Stand  upright 
on  thy  feet.  It  is  noteworthy  that  Paul,  in  per- 
forming this  miracle,  makes  no  reference  to 
Christ  or  to  God.  This  remarkable  omission 
may  be  due  to  the  brevity  of  Luke's  narrative  ; 
or  it  may  be  that  the  theme  of  Paul's  preaching 
was  the  life  and  ministry  of  Christ  and  especially 
his  miracles,  and  rendered  the  usual  reference  to 
the  Lord  as  the  source  of  his  own  authority 
unnecessary  ;  or  may  we  consider  that  the  mis- 
apprehension of  the  people,  as  indicated  by  their 
endeavor  to  offer  sacrifices  to  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
was  possibly  partly  due  to  the  unintentional  fail- 
ure of  the  apostle  to  make  unmistakably  appa- 
rent the  divine  source  of  his  authority  ?— He 
leaped  and  Avalked.  An  indication  that  the 
cure  was  instantaneous  and  complete. 

11,  12.  In  the  speech  of  Lycaonia.  The 
nature  of  this  speech,  probably  a  corrupted  dia- 
lect of  the  Greek,  is  not  known  with  any  certainty. 
The  fact  is  here  stated  to  explain  why  the  apos- 
tles did  not  earlier  interfere.  The  people  gener- 
ally would  have  understood  the  Greek  language 
in  which  Paul  spoke,  but  he  would  not  have 
understood  the  native  dialect  of  the  people, 
especially  in  the  babble  and  confusion  of  voices 
which  ensued.— The  gods  are  come  down  to 
us  in  the  likeness  of  men.  The  Greek  and 
Roman  gods  were  deified  men  ;  it  was  not  there- 
fore strange  that  the  people  should  believe,  as 
they  did,  that  these  gods  would  on  occasion  visit 
the  earth  in  human  likeness. —  Jupiter  *  * 
*  Mercurius.  e/iipi^er,  "the  heavenly  father," 
was  the  highest  and  most  powerful  among 
the   gods,    had    control    over   all    changes   in 


Ch.  XIV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


161 


13  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter,  which  was  before  their 
city,  brought  oxen  and  garlands  unto  the  gates,  and 
would  "  have  done  sacrifice  with  the  people. 

14  Which  when  the  apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul, 
heard  ofy  they "  rent  their  clothes,  and  ran  in  among 
the  people,  crying  out, 

15  And  saying.  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things?  We^ 
also  are  men  of  like  passions  with  you,  and  preach 
unto  you,  that  ye  should  turn  from  these  vanities^ 


unto°  the  living  God.  which  made  heaven,''  and  earth, 
and  the  sea,  and  all  tnings  that  are  therein : 

16  Who  "=  in  times  past  suflFered  all  nations  to  walk  in 
their  own  ways. 

17  Nevertheless,*  he  left  not  himself  without  wit- 
ness, in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  '  from  hea- 
ven, and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food 
and  gladness. 


w  Dan.  2  :  46 x  Matt.  26  :  65. 

1  C(T.  8:4....a  1  Thess.  1:9.. 
Ps.  147  :  8  i  Matt.  5  :  45. 

..y  ch.  10:  26;   James  5:  17;  Rev.  19:  10. ...z  1  Sam.  12  :  21  ;    1  Kinga  16  :  13;  Jer 
..b  Gen.  1  :  1  j  Pb.  33  :  6  j  146:6;  Rev.  14:7....c  ch.  17:30;  Ps.  81  :12....d  Rom. 

14  :  22 ;  Jonah  2:8; 
1  :  20....e  Job  6:  10; 

k 


the  heavens,  determined  the  course  of  all  earthly 
affairs,  was  the  guardian  of  the  law,  and  was 
invoked  at  the  beginning  of  every  undertaking, 
and  publicly  worshipped  at  the  return  from  every 
successful  campaign.  J/ercwHwswas  the  messen- 
ger of  the  gods,  hence  the  god  of  eloquence 
and  prudence,  qualities  combined  in  the  classical 
representations  of  him  with  cunning,  fraud,  per- 
juiy,  and  even  theft.  He  was  also  a  customary 
companion  of  other  deities  and  attended  Jupiter 
in  his  expeditions.  Each  of  the  Grecian  cities 
was  supposed  to  be  under  the  especial  protection 
of  some  deity ;  Jupiter  appears  to  have  been 
the  tutelary  deity  of  Lystra,  and  his  temple,  or 
possibly  his  statue,  stood  just  outside  the  walls  of 
the  city  (ver.  13).  It  was  a  common  belief  among 
the  ancients  that  the  gods  occasionally  visited  the 
earth  in  the  form  of  men,  and  Ovid  (Met.,  b.  1,  v.  211) 
has  preserved  a  special  tradition  of  such  a  visit 
by  Jupiter  and  Mercui-y  to  the  house  of  Lycaon, 
the  supposed  founder  of  one  of  the  principal 
cities  of  Lycaonia.  Thus  the  account  here  given 
of  the  reception  accorded  to  the  apostles  agrees 
singularly  with  what  we  know  of  the  character 
of  the  people  and  their  traditions.  Observe  that 
it  is  Barnabas  and  not  Paul  who  is  regarded  as 
Jupiter,  and  compare  this  with  the  statement  of 
his  enemies  that  his  bodily  presence  isweak(2Cor. 
10 :  10) ;  hence  we  may  reasonably  surmise  that  he 
was  of  small  stature.  Of  his  power  as  a  speaker, 
the  Book  of  Acts  affords  many  illustrations. 

13,  14.  But  the  priest  of  the  Jupiter 
which  Avas  before  their  city.  There  is  bet- 
ter authority  for  reading  city  than  gates,  but  the 
meaning  in  either  case  is  substantially  the  same ; 
his  temple  or  statue  stood  probably  at  or  near 
the  chief  entrance  to  the  city. — Brought  oxen 
and  garlands.  The  former  to  sacrifice,  the 
latter  either  to  decorate  the  animals  or  to  crown 
the  apostles,  or  decorate  their  house.  The  an- 
nexed illustration  of  an  ancient  sacrifice  and 
altar,  which  represents  the  essential  features 
of  this  scene,  is  from  an  antique  medal. — Unto 
the  doors.  Not  the  gates  of  the  city,  but  the 
door  or  gate  leading  into  the  court-yard  of  the 
house  where  the  apostles  were.  Paul  had  fin- 
ished his  sermon  and  gone  into  the  house,  and 
knew  nothing  of  what  was  going  on,  until  the 
priest  and  the  multitude  appeared  in  the  street. 


This  is  implied  both  here  and  in  the  language  of 
the  next  verse. — But  the  apostles,  Barnabas 
and  Paul,  hearing.  Not  hearing  o/the  popu- 
lar impulse  by  the  reports  of  others,  but  hearing 
the  tumult  before  their  doors. — Rending  their 
clothes.  To  the  Jew  a  natural  symbol  of  grief 
or  horror. — Rushed  forth  among  the  peo- 
ple. That  Is,  from  the  house.  The  language 
implies  intense  vehemence  of  action.  They  were 
horror-stricken  at  the  idea  that  the  result  of  their 
ministry,  the  object  of  which  had  been  to  lead  these 
heathens  to  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Saviour,  had,  in 
fact,  brought  them  to  offer  an  idolatrous  worship 
to  his  apostles. 


^VIIPR, 

ANCEEKT   SACRIFICE   AND  AITAB. 

15.  We  are  also  of  like  passions  with 
yourselves,  men.  Emphasis  is  placed  on  the 
phrase  of  like  passions. — And  herald  unto  yon 
as  glad  tidings.  This  message  is  glad  tidings 
because  it  is  not  merely  a  command  to  abandon 
idolatry,  but  also  a  revelation  of  the  true  God. 
— That  ye  should  turn  from  these  vani- 
ties. That  is,  from  these  vain  and  profitless 
gods.  Comp.  Ps.  115  :  4-8;  Isaiah  40  :  18-20; 
43  :  17,  18.  In  contrast  with  these  inanities 
is  the  living  God.  God  is  frequently  thus  de- 
scribed in  the  Bible,  especially  by  Paul.  See  Rom. 
9  :  26 ;  2  Cor.  3  :  3 ;  6  :  16 ;  1  Thess.  1  :  9  ;  1  Tim. 
3  :  15 ;  4  :  10.  In  a  peculiar  sense  the  preaching 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  incarnation  of  the  Deity 
was  a  preaching  of  a  living  God,  i.  e.,  of  a  per- 
sonal being  entering  into  sympathetic  relations 
with  man.  See  Matt.  16  :  16,  note.  —  Which 
made  heaven  and  earth,  etc.  The  Greeks 
generally  did  not  regard  the  gods  as  the  creators 
of  material  things ;  matter  was  eternal ;  the  gods 


162 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIV. 


18  And  with  these  sayings  scarce  restrained  they  the 
people,  that  they  had  not  done  sacrifice  unto  them. 

19  And  there  came  thither  certain  Jews  from  Anti- 
och  and  Iconium,  who  persuaded  the  people,  and, 
having  stoned'  Paul,  drew  him  out  of  the  city,  sup- 
posing he  had  been  dead. 


20  Howbeit,  as  the  disciples  stood  round  about  him, 
he  rose  up,  and  came  into  the  city:  and  the  next  day 
he  departed  with  Barnabas  to  Derbe. 

21  And  when  they  had  preached  the  gospel  to  that 
city,  and  had  taught  many,  they  returned  again  to 
Lystra,  and  to  Iconium,  and  Antioch, 


f  2Cor.  11  :25. 


themselves  were  created  in  time  ;  thus  Zeus 
was  the  son  of  Chronos  and  Rhea,  and  Mercury 
was  the  son  of  Zeus,  or  Jupiter ;  and  in  their 
mythology  the  various  domains  of  nature  had 
each  its  own  deity. 

IG,  17.  Who,  in  bygone  generations, 
suffered  ail  the  Gentiles  to  walli  in  their 
own  ways.  The  word  {l^xoe)  rendered  nation 
is  capable  of  either  that  rendering  or  the  one  I 
have  given.  The  latter  meaning  seems  best  to 
suit  both  the  context  and  the  actual  facts.  The 
law  was  given  only  to  the  Jews;  the  Gentiles  were 
left  without  any  other  law  than  that  afforded  by 
nature  and  conscience.  —  Nevertheless,  he 
left  not  himself  without  witness,  etc. 
Observe  that  the  essential  element  in  the  argu- 
ment from  nature,  as  the  apostle  presents  it,  is 
the  beneficence  of  God — the  adaptation  of  nature 
to  provide  for  the  wants  of  man,  both  those  of 
the  body  and  of  the  heart :  he  did  good,  gave  us 
rain,  filled  our  hearts.  The  reference  to  rain 
was  specially  significant  in  a  province  where 
water  was  so  scarce  that  it  is  said  to  have  been 
sometimes  sold  for  money.  The  authorship  of 
this  speech  is  confirmed  by  some  striking  coinci- 
dences between  the  phraseology  employed  here 
and  elsewhere  by  the  same  speaker.  See  Acts 
17  :  30 ;  Rom.  3  :  25 ;  1  Thess.  1  :  9.  Especially 
Bhould  the  student  examine  Rom.,  chaps.  1,  2, 
where  Paul  elaborates  the  argument.  He  there 
explains  why  God  left  the  nations  to  their  own 
ways,  viz.,  because  they  first  left  him,  describes 
what  those  ways  were,  and  draws  clearly  the  con- 
trast between  the  Jews  who  know  the  law,  and 
the  Gentiles  who  are  without  it. 

18,  19.  The  revulsion  in  public  sentiment 
indicated  in  these  verses  is  not  without  parallels 
in  both  sacred  and  secular  history ;  and  the 
Lycaonians  were  a  notoriously  fickle  people. 
Mr,  Howson  suggests  that  the  Jews  who  came 
from  Antioch  and  Iconium  attributed  the  mira- 
cle of  healing  to  diabolical  agency,  as  did  the 
Pharisees  in  the  case  of  Christ  and  his  miracles 
(Matt.  12 :  24).  The  popular  interpretation  of  what 
they  had  witnessed  having  been  disavowed  by 
the  apostles,  the  people  would  readily  adopt  a 
new  interpretation,  suggested  by  those  who 
appeared  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the  stran- 
gers, and  who  had  followed  them  from  distant 
cities.  Paul  refers  to  the  stoning  here  mentioned 
in  2  Cor.  11  :  25,  "  Once  I  was  stoned."  From  a 
comparison  of  the  account  here  and  in  yer.  5, 


with  Paul's  reference  in  2  Corinthians,  Dr.  Paley 
draws  a  forcible  argument  for  the  authenticity  of 
Luke's  account.  "  Had  the  assault  (in  Iconium) 
been  completed,  had  the  history  related  that  a 
stone  was  thrown,  as  it  relates  that  preparations 
were  made  both  by  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  stone 
Paul  and  his  companions,  or  even  had  the  ac- 
count of  this  transaction  stopped,  without  going 
on  to  inform  us  that  Paul  and  his  companions 
were  '  aware  of  the  danger  and  fled,'  a  contra- 
diction between  the  history  and  the  epistles 
would  have  ensued.  Truth  is  necessarily  consist- 
ent ;  but  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  independent 
accounts,  not  having  truth  to  guide  them,  should 
thus  advance  to  the  very  brink  of  contradiction 
without  falling  into  it."  Two  other  incidental 
coincidences  confirm  the  narrative  :  (1)  the  perse- 
cution which  was  instigated  by  the  Jews,  was 
carried  out  by  stoning,  a  Jewish  mode  of  punish- 
ment ;  (2)  this  attempted  infliction  of  death,  in 
Palestine,  would  not  have  been  permitted  within 
the  city  (ch.  7 :  ss) ;  in  this  heathen  city  no  scruple 
prevented  it, 

20,  21.  As  the  disciples  stood  round 
about  him.  Not  in  order  to  bury  him,  but 
contemplating  mournfully  his  insensible  form. 
Timothy  was  not  improbably  one  of  this  group ; 
he  resided  at  Lystra  (ch.  le :  1),  and  knew  of,  if  he 
did  not  witness,  this  persecution  (sTim.  3:ii). — 
He  rose  up  and  came  into  the  city.  Alford 
and  Meyer  regard  this  as  a  supernatural  recov- 
ery ;  Hackett  the  reverse ;  Alexander  is  doubt- 
ful. I  see  no  reason  to  regard  it  as  anything 
more  than  a  recovery  after  being  stunned  ;  there 
is  nothing  in  the  fact  that  he  came  into  the  city  to 
indicate  "his  immediate  restoration  to  his  usual 
activity  and  vigor";  the  disciples  were  there 
to  assist  or  even  to  carry  him,  if  helpless,  and  his 
departure  on  the  following  day  to  Derbe  was  a 
natural  means  of  safety.  The  suggestion,  re- 
ferred to  by  Alexander,  that  Paul's  swoon  at 
Lystra  is  to  be  identified  with  the  trance  described 
in  2  Cor.  12  :  \-A  is  more  ingenious  than  sound. 
A  swoon  is  a  state  of  unconsciousness,  a  trance  is 
a  state  of  exalted  spiritual  consciousness ;  there 
is  nothing  akin  in  them. — Derbe.  For  descrip- 
tion, see  ver.  6. — Had  taught  many.  Rather, 
had  made  many  disciples ;  the  success  of  their 
ministry  is  indicated. — They  returned  again 
to  Lystra.  "Advancing  still  eastward  from 
this  point,  they  would  soon  have  reached  the 
well-known  'Cilician  Gates,'  through  which  they 


Ch.  XIV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


163 


22  Confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhort- 
ing them  to  continue  e  in  the  faith,  and  that  we ''  must 
through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

23  And  when  they  had  ordained  them  elders  in  every 
church,  and  had  prayed  with  fasting,  (hey  commend- 
ed them  to  the  Lord,  on  whom  they  believed. 

24  And  after  they  had  passed  throughout  Pisidia, 
they  came  to  Pamphylia. 


25  And  when  they  had  preached  the  word  in  Perga, 
they  went  down  into  Attalia : 

26  And  thence  sailed  to  Antioch,  from'  whence  they 
had  been  recommended  to  the  grace  J  of  God  for  the 
work  which  they  fulfilled. 

27  And  when  they  were  come,  and  had  gathered  the 
church  together,  they  rehearsed ''  all  that  God  had 
done  with  them,  and  how  he  had  opened'  the  door  of 
faith  unto  the  Gentiles. 

28  And  there  they  abode  long  time  with  the  disciples. 


gch.  13:43 h  Rom.  8  :  17;  2 Tim.  3  :  12....  1  ch.  13  : 1,3. .  ..j  ch.  16  :  40. ..  .k  ch.  15:  4....1  1  Cor.  16:9;  2  Cor.  2:12;  Rev.  3:8. 


I 


could  have  descended  easily  to  Cilicia,  and  then 
have  embarked  from  Tarsus  for  Antioch.  They 
had  the  choice,  therefore,  of  a  nearer  way  to 
Syria;  but  their  solicitude  for  the  welfare  of 
the  newly-founded  churches  constrains  them  to 
turn  back,  and  revisit  the  places  where  they  had 
preached. " — {Hackett. ) 

22,  23.  Exhorting  them  to  remain  in  the 
faith.  Not  merely  in  the  belief  that  Jesus  is 
the  Messiah,  though  this  belief  might  be  shaken 
by  his  failure  to  protect  them  from  persecution, 
but,  in  the  life  of  faith,  that  is,  in  that  life  whose 
present  strength  and  future  hope  is  derived  from 
a  personal  trust  in  a  personal  Saviour.  Comp. 
1  Cor.  16  :  13  ;  3  Cor.  13  :  5  ;  Gal.  3  :  24-26 ;  Col. 
1  :  23. — And  that  we  must  through  much 
tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God.  For  the  reason  why  tribulation  is  neces- 
sary, see  Rom.  5:3-5;  Heb.  13  :  11.  Comp.  Luke 
14 :  25-33.  It  was  by  this  exhortation,  not  by  any 
special  rite,  that  the  apostles  confirmed  the  souls 
of  the  disciples.  There  is  some  question  among 
the  critics  as  to  the  significance  of  the  pronoun 
we  in  this  sense  ;  some  regard  it  as  indicating  a 
general  law  applicable  to  all  Christians ;  the 
meaning  then  would  be,  We  as  Christians  enter 
the  kingdom  through  tribulation.  Others  regard 
it  as  an  indication  that  the  words  of  the  apostle 
are  in  part  quoted ;  they  refer  to  the  persecu- 
tions which  they  have  themselves  suilered,  as  an 
«vidence  that  all  must  enter  the  kingdom  of  God 
in  the  same  way.  Alford  regards  it  as  an  indica- 
tion that  Luke  has  rejoined  the  apostles,  having 
remained  at  Antioch  during  the  journey  to  Ico- 
nium  and  back ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  ch.  13  to 
Indicate  that  Luke  was  with  the  apostles  during 
any  part  of  this  missionary  tour. — And  when 
they  had  ordained  them  elders  in  every 
church.  The  word  here  rendered  ordained 
i/aiooTOMluj)  is  etymologically  and  in  classic 
Greek,  to  choose  by  a  show  of  hands,  a  custom- 
ary method  of  election  in  the  Grecian  public 
assemblies.  In  the  N.  T.  the  word  occurs  only 
here  and  in  2  Cor.  8  :  19,  but  in  composition  with 
the  preposition  before  (riQo)  it  occurs  in  Acts 
10  :  41,  where  it  describes  a  choice  exercised  by 
God.  In  later  ecclesiastical  Greek  the  word  is 
used  to  designate  the  ordination  of  a  church 
officer  by  his  ecclesiastical  superior.     On  this 


state  of  facts  three  interpretations  are  afforded 
of  this  verse.  The  first  imputes  to  the  word 
ordained  its  later  ecclesiastical  meaning,  and  un- 
derstands, as  our  English  translators  seem  to 
have  done,  that  the  apostles  appointed  the  elders 
over  the  churches  by  their  own  ecclesiastical 
authority.  The  second  view  imputes  to  it  the 
etymological  and  classical  meaning  of  an  elec- 
tion by  a  show  of  hands,  and  understands  that 
the  elders  were  thus  elected  by  vote  of  the 
church  members,  as  were  the  deacons  in  ch.  6  : 5, 
and  their  choice  was  then  ratified  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  apostles,  who  solemnly  set  apart  the 
elders  to  their  office,  as  Paul  and  Barnabas  had 
been  set  apart  by  special  religious  services  for 
their  missionary  work  (ch.  i3 : 3).  This  apparently 
is  Alford' s  view:  "The  apostles  ordained  the 
presbyters  whom  the  churches  elected."  The 
third  view,  which  seems  to  me  the  correct  one, 
takes  the  word  (/ti^oTovtcu),  rendered  ordain,  in 
its  secondary  meaning  as  equivalent  to  select  or 
ajypoint,  and  understands  the  declaration  to  be 
that  the  apostles  appointed  elders,  without  any 
indication  whether  the  selection  was  made  by 
themselves,  or  first  by  the  lay  members  of  the 
church  and  ratified  by  the  apostles,  or  by  the 
concurrent  action  of  the  two.  In  these  Gentile 
cities,  where  the  converts  were  largely  without 
previous  religious  instruction  in  either  the  truths 
or  the  forms  of  religion,  it  seems  very  probable 
that  the  apostles  would  have  exercised  a  con- 
trolling influence  in  the  selection  of  church  offi- 
cers. There  is  nothing  to  indicate  what  was  the 
authority  of  these  elders  except  the  facts  that 
the  name  is  applied  in  the  0.  T.  to  officers  exer- 
cising certain  undefined  political  functions,  analo- 
gous to  those  of  the  modern  shiek  (Matt,  le :  2,  note), 
and  also  to  designate  officers  who  administered 
the  affairs  of  the  Jewish  synagogue  (Matt.  4 :  23,  note). 
That  their  authority  was  confined  to  the  local 
church  is  implied  by  the  expression  elders  in 
evei-y  church.  While  no  very  clear  and  definite 
lesson  respecting  church  action  is  conveyed  by 
this  passage,  one  practical  lesson  is  plain  and 
important :  the  apostles  did  not  merely  preach 
the  Gospel,  they  also  gathered  the  Christian  con- 
verts into  definitely  organized  churches,  with 
officers  duly  appointed,  and,  presumptively,  with 
the  ordinances  duly  administered.   They  brought 


164 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XV. 


them  into  the  visible,  as  well  as  into  the  invisible 
kingdom  of  God.— Commended  them  to  the 
Lord.  Kather,  Bet  tliem  before  the  Lord  ;  a  formal 
religious  service  participated  in  by  the  apostles 
is  certainly  implied.  Comp.  1  Tim.  5  :  23  ;  2  Tim. 
1:6;  Tit.  1  :  5. 

24,25.  Pisidia.  A  province  in  Asia  Minor. 
See  ch.  13  :  14,  note.— Pamphylia.  Another 
province.  See  ch.  13  :  13,  note.— Perga.  The 
first  point  which  they  had  reached  on  the  main 
road  after  leaving  Cyprus.  See  ch.  13  :  13,  note. 
— Attalia.  A  coast  town  of  Pamphylia,  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Perga ;  it  was  founded  by 
Attains  Philadelphus,  and  is  still  an  important 
place,  with  a  population  of  8,000 ;  it  is  now 
known  as  Cittalia,  at  least  this  is  the  better 
opinion,  though  there  is  some  uncertainty  re- 
specting its  identification.  The  apostles  appa- 
rently went  to  Attalia  not  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching,  but  as  a  convenient  point  from  which 
to  take  ship  for  Antioch. 

26-28.  They  had  gathered  the  church 
together.  A  special  meeting  was  held  to  hear 
their  report.  It  is  not  improbable  that  there 
were  several  churches  in  Antioch  whose  mem- 
bers were  convened  on  this  occasion. — They 
rehearsed  all  that  God  had  done  with 
them.  Perhaps  this  rehearsal  furnished  Luke 
with  the  material  for  his  narrative.  Observe  how 
Paul  here  recognizes  the  truth  afterwards  in- 
sisted on  in  1  Cor.  3  :  6-9.  This  was  a  true 
"praise  meeting." — Opened  the  door  of  faith 
unto  the  Gentiles.  That  is,  had  by  his  grace 
given  admission  into  the  kingdom  of  faith  unto 
the  uncircumcised  heathen.    The  metaphor  is  a 

favorite   one  with   Paul    (ICor.  16:  9;    SCor.  2:12;   Col. 

4 :  z). — Long  time.    One  or  two  years.    Proba- 
bly A.D.  48,  49.    See  Chronological  Table,  p.  20. 


Ch.  15  :  1-35.  THE  SO-CALLED  COUNCIL  AT  JERU- 
SALEM. The  relation  of  rites  to  the  religion  op 
Jesus  Christ.— The  teachings  op  divine  Provi- 
dence AN  AUTHORITY  IN  RELIGION.— HoW  TO  PREVENT 
CHURCH  QUARRELS. — PRINCIPLE  PERMANENT,  POLICY 
TEMPORARY. 

Preliminary  Note. — This  chapter  divides  the 
Book  of  Acts  into  two  nearly  equal  portions. 
The  first  fourteen  chapters  describe  chiefly  the 
operations  of  divine  providence  which  brought 
the  church  to  the  decision  here  finally  announced, 
that  the  Gospel  is  for  the  Gentile  as  well  as  the 
Jew,  that  Christianity  is  for  humanity,  not  for  a 
single  nation ;  the  second  fourteen  chapters  re- 
count the  methods  pursued  by  the  church,  under 
the  guidance  of  God,  in  carrying  the  Gospel  to  the 
Gentiles.  In  studying  this  chapter  consider  the 
following  facts  :  (1.)  Circumcision  was  ordained 
by  God  in  the  days  of  Abraham.  It  was  the 
sign  of  the  covenant  between  himself  and  his 
people.    It  was  a  public  profession  of  faith  in 


and  consecration  to  him.    It  opened  the  door  of 
and  gave  admission  to  his  kingdom.     To  be  un- 
circumcised was  to  be  a  heathen,  a  stranger  from 
the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  without  a  part  in 
the  divine  inheritance  (cen.  n  :  u ;  Ezek  28 :  lo,  etc). 
To  deny  circumcision  therefore,  seemed  to  a  Jew- 
ish conscience  equivalent  to  denying  God's  cov- 
enant and  kingdom.    It  was  not  an  unmeaning 
ceremony.    It  was  as  important  a  part  of  reli- 
gion as  any  ceremony  ever  is  or  ever  can  be ;  to 
deny  that  it  was  essential  to  salvation  was  equiv- 
alent to  denying  that  any  ceremonial  is  essential 
to  religion.     (2.)  Jesus  Christ  had  not  repealed, 
set  aside,  or  said  aught  to  weaken  the  obligation 
of  circumcision.     He  was  himself  circumcised 
(Luke  2 :  2i).    Accuscd  by  his  enemies  of  relaxing 
the  laws  of  Moses  he  had  denied  the  imputation 
(Matt.  5 :  17,  note).     He  had  clioscn  aU  his  apostles 
from  among  the  circumcised.    In  his  first  com- 
mission he  had  bid  them  go  not  to  any  heathen 
province  or  Samaritan  village  (Matt,  lo :  s).    The 
full  meaning  of  his  subsequent  commissions  (Matt. 
28 :  19, 20 ;  Acts  2 :  s)  the  apostles  themsclvcs  did  not 
at  first  comprehend.   They  had  no  direct  external 
authority  for  abandoning  a  test  of    character 
which  God  had  ordained,  and  which  had  been 
maintained  for  over  1,800  years.     (3.)  The  apos- 
tles themselves  had  issued  no  decree  on  the  sub- 
ject.    Christ  had  appointed  them  to  sit  as  judges 
of  Israel.     He  had  conferred  upon  them  an  au- 
thority, vague  certainly,  but  not  insignificant, 
and  they  had  been  silent.    The  first  preaching 
to  the  Greeks  was  by  Philip,  a  Greek  (ch.  8 :  s,  4o). 
The  second  was  by  Peter,  but  the  case  was  ex- 
ceptional ;  he  had  been  called  to  account  for  it ; 
no  permanent  ministry  to  the  heathen  had  re- 
sulted (chaps.  10, 11 ).    Neither  of  them  had  organ- 
ized the  uncircumcised  into  Christian  churches, 
or  assumed  to  place  Jew  and  Gentile  on  the 
same  footing  before  God  and  the  church.     The 
action  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  the  church  at 
Antioch  was  therefore  wholly  without  external 
or  ecclesiastical  authority.     They  not  only  ap- 
peared to  disregard  the  traditions  of  the  church, 
to  reject  the  ordinance  established  by  God,  to 
abandon  a  ceremonial  hallowed  by  immemorial 
usage,  but  to  do  this  without  authority  from 
Christ  or  his  apostles.     Pride  and  conscience  re- 
enforced  each  other  in  the  complaint  preferred 
against  them  for  this  seemingly  flagrant  irregu- 
larity.   (4.)   This    conference,   usually  called  a 
council,  was  not  one,  in  the  modern  sense  of  that 
term.    The  churches  of  Palestine  were  not  rep- 
resented ;  nor  even  the  churches  of  Judea.     It 
was  simply  a  meeting  of  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem.   It  was  not  called  to  settle  authoritatively 
the  question.    In  the  mind  of  Paul  there  was  no 
question.   The  complaints  of  the  Pharisees  awak- 
ened no  hesitation  in  his  mind  (oai.  2  •.  b).     He 
would  not  have  yielded  his  convictions,  no,  not 


Ch.  XV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


165 


A 


CHAPTER   XV. 

ND"  certain  men  which  came  down  from  Judsea 
taught  the  brethren,  and  said.,  Except"  ye  be  cir- 


cumcised after"  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be 
saved. 

2  When  therefore  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  no  small 
dissension  and  disputation  with  them,  they  determined 


Gal.  2:  12 n  John  7  :  22 o  Lev.  12  :  3. 


to  an  angel  from  heaven  (oai.  i :  7,  s).  He  did  not 
even  go  up  to  Jerusalem  till  directed  by  a  special 
divine  revelation  (Gai.  2 : 2).  When  he  went  he 
emphasized  his  own  convictions  by  taking  an 
uncircumcised  Greek  with  him  (Gai.  2 : 3).  The 
church  at  Antioch  was  as  little  in  doubt  as  him- 
self. It  accompanied  Paul,  Barnabas  and  Titus 
out  of  the  city,  giving  him  a  public  ovation 
(Acts  15 : 3).  As  the  three  journeyed  to  Jerusalem, 
they  visited  the  churches  on  their  route,  narra- 
ting with  thanksgiving  the  labors,  for  the  irregu- 
larity of  which  they  were  called  to  account. 
Paul  refused  to  recognize  in  the  apostles  any 
authority  over  him  and  superior  to  his  own  (oai. 
1 : 1, 11, 12, 17-22),  and  arriving  at  Jerusalem,  entered 
into  no  debate  or  defence  ;  he  simply  gave  an  ac- 
count of  what  he  had  done.  If  we  could  imagine 
the  Judaizing  party  securing  the  decision  of  the 
church  in  their  favor,  we  could  not  imagine 
Paul's  yielding  to  it.  The  genesis  of  this  con- 
ference was  simply  this  :  Pharisaic  believers  came 
from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch,  claimed  to  speak  by 
authority,  and  demanded  the  circumcision  of  the 
Gentile  converts.  The  Christians  at  Antioch  sent 
Paul  and  Barnabas  to  Jerusalem  to  learn  whether 
this  self-constituted  delegation  possessed  the  au- 
thority it  claimed ;  whether  the  church  had 
authorized  or  would  ratify  their  action.  (5. )  The 
constitution  and  forms  of  proceedings  of  the  so- 
called  council  are  uncertain.  I  believe,  how- 
ever, that  the  matter  was  first  discussed  in  pri- 
vate between  the  apostles  and  elders,  that  a 
result  was  reached,  that  it  was  then  laid  before 
the  entire  church  and  ratified  by  them,  and  that 
the  addresses  of  Peter  and  the  narrative  of  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  as  well  as  the  final  utterance  of 
James,  are  part  of  this  report,  prepared,  as  it 
was,  in  committee.  See  ver.  6,  note.  (6.)  The 
result  included  both  a  principle  and  a  policy. 
The  principle  is  embodied  by  Peter's  declaration 
that  God  recognizes  no  difference  between  Jew 
and  Gentile,  purifying  aU  hearts  by  faith  (ver.  9). 
Faith  is  not  only  the  ground  of  salvation,  it  is 
the  only  ground.  Nothing  else  is  necessary.  No 
ceremonial  is  of  the  essence  of  Christianity.  No 
cerpmonial  could  be  more  sacred,  either  from  its 
origin,  its  usage,  or  its  import,  than  circumci- 
sion. The  policy  is  embodied  in  the  counsel  of 
James  (vers.  20,  21,  note),  that  the  Gentiles  abstain 
from  certain  practices  out  of  regard  to  the  con- 
sciences of  their  Jewish  brethren.  The  princi- 
ple is  eternal.  It  is  the  same  to-day  as  in  the 
first  century.     The  policy  was  perhaps  never 


fully  carried  out.  It  certainly  did  not  outlast 
the  time  of  Paul.  He  openly  declares  the  right 
of  a  Christian  to  eat  meat  offered  to  idols,  thotigh 
he  advises,  in  the  spirit  of  this  conference,  that 
the  right  be  yielded  for  the  sake  of  others  (Rom. 
ch.  14 ;  1  Cor.  ch.  s).  (7.)  This  result  was  not  obtained 
by  an  appeal  to  church  authority: — neither  to 
the  O.  T.,  though  James  quotes  a  passage  from 
the  prophets  to  show  that  the  O.  T.  does  not 
contravene  their  conclusion ;  nor  to  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  not  quoted  at  all ;  nor  to  the  Church,  for 
only  the  opinion  of  a  local  church  was  asked, 
except  as  the  apostles  may  be  regarded  as  rep- 
resentatives of  the  church  universal : — but  by  an 
appeal  to  divine  providence.  The  ways  of  God 
are  as  authoritative  as  his  word  ;  and  the  teach- 
ings of  the  one,  if  not  as  plain,  are  as  decisive  as 
the  teachings  of  the  other.  For  the  discontinu- 
ance of  a  ceremonial  as  old  as  the  nation,  the 
primitive  church  required  no  other  authority 
than  the  evident  blessing  of  God  bestowed  upon 
those  who  had  not  accepted  and  performed  it 
(vers.  8-10).  (8.)  If  I  have  read  aright  this  narrative, 
it  throws  small  light  on  methods  of  ecclesiastical 
procedure  in  N.  T.  times ;  it  gives  no  authority 
for  church  councils,  as  a  divinely  appointed 
method  of  settling  questions  in  church  govern- 
ment or  administration  ;  but  it  attests  the  truth, 
which  even  the  church  of  Christ  has  not  yet 
learned,  that  religion  consists  wholly  in  heart- 
life  and  its  issues,  not  at  aU  in  any  rite  or  cere- 
mony, however  sacred  in  origin  or  hallowed  by 
usage ;  it  points  out  the  method  of  preventing 
ecclesiastical  contentions  and  quarrels,  and  it 
indicates  the  difference  between  principle  and 
policy — the  former  to  be  held  with  inflexible 
tenacity,  the  latter  to  be  readUy  yielded  in  ac- 
commodation to  even  unreasonable  prejudices 

(comp.  vers.  20,  21  with  Gal.  2  :  s). 

1.  And  certain  men  which  came  down 
from  Judea.  They  were  evidently  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  in  Jerusalem.  See 
ver.  5.  In  Galatians  Paul  characterizes  them  as 
"false  brethren  unawares  brought  in."  They  be- 
lieved that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  but  regarded 
Christianity  only  as  a  reformation  of  Judaism. — 
Except  ye  be  circumcised.  Circumcision 
was  first  ordained  by  God  in  his  covenant  with 
Abraham  (oen.  17 :  10-14).  It  probably  fell  into 
disuse,  for  it  was  renewed  in  the  person  of  the 
son  of  Moses,  a  little  before  the  exodus  (Exod. 
4 :  24-26).  It  had  been  practised  by  other  nations 
than  the  Jews — the  Egyptians,  Ethiopians,  Tro- 


166 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XV. 


that  p  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  certain  other  of  them, 
should  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  unto  the  apostles  and  elders, 
about  this  question. 

3  And  being  1  brought  on  their  way  by  the  church, 
they  passed  through  Phenice  and  Samaria,  declaring 
the  conversion ■■  of  the  Gentiles:  and  they  caused 
great  joy  ^  unto  all  the  brethren. 

4  And  when  they  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  they 
were  received  of  tne  church,  and  o/the  apostles  and 


elders,  and  they'  declared  all  things  that  God  had 
done  with  them. 

5  But  there  rose  up  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Phari- 
sees which  believed,  saying,"  That  it  was  needful  to 
circumcise  them,  and  to  command  (Aem  to  keep  the 
law  of  Moses. 

6  And  the  apostles  and  elders  came  together,'  for  to 
consider  of  this  matter. 


p  Gal.  2  :  1 . . .  q  Rom.  15  :  24 ;  1  Cor.  16  :  6,  11 ;  3  John  6 . . .  r  ch.  14  :  27  .  . .  B  Luke  15  !  7, 10  . . . .  t  ch.  21  :  19  . .    a  ver.  1 . 


glodytes,  Caffres  of  South  Africa,  and  Islanders 
of  the  Pacitic  Ocean,  and  is  still  practised  both 
by  Mussulmans  and  modern  Jews.  It  was  per- 
formed on  all  males  on  the  eighth  day  after 
birth  (Lev.  12 : 3),  and  accompanied  the  naming  of 
the  child  (Luke  1 :  59;  2 :  2i).  It  was  a  paiuful  cere- 
mony, and  was  especially  odious  to  the  Gentiles, 
because  in  the  public  baths  to  which  they  re- 
sorted, the  circumcised  were  subjected  to  cruel 
insults.  So  far  was  this  carried  that  the  Jews 
sometimes  endeavored  to  efface  the  evidences  of 
circumcision  by  a  surgical  operation.  See  1  Cor. 
7  :  18. — Ye  cannot  be  saved.  The  point  of 
the  teaching  was  not  therefore  that  it  was  expe- 
dient to  be  circumcised  as  a  concession  to  the 
prejudices  of  others,  but  that  circumcision  was 
essential  to  salvation.  It  was  this  substitution  of 
an  external  rite  for  the  spiritual  life  of  faith  in 
a  personal  Saviour  which  rendered  their  teach- 
ing subversive  of  the  soul.    See  ver.  24,  note. 

2.  No  small  dissension  and  disputation 
with  them.  The  former  word  (aruoig)  else- 
where rendered  insurrection,  sedition  and  uproar 

(Markl5:7j    Luke  S3  :  !9,  25  ;   Acts  19  :  40)   implies   a  VigOr- 

ous  and  determined  resistance  to  the  Judaizers 
by  Paul  and  Barnabas  ;  the  latter  word  (C'injai?) 
literally  questioning  (i  Tim.  i :  4 ;  6 : 4)  implies  debate ; 
the  doctrine  and  the  authority  of  these  Judaizers 
were  probably  both  questioned.  In  fact  they  had 
no  authority  to  speak  for  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem (ver.  24,  note).— They  determined.  That  is, 
the  church  at  Antioch  determined.  It  appears 
also  from  Gal.  2  :  2  that  Paul  received  a  direct 
revelation  from  heaven.  There  is  nothing  incon- 
sistent in  the  two  accounts.  The  revelation  may 
have  been  afforded  him  by  the  voice  of  prophets 
In  the  church  (oh.  13  -.  2,  note),  or  it  may  be  that  a 
private  revelation  to  Paul  and  the  action  of  the 
church  combined  in  sending  this  delegation. 
80  Paul  was  sent  from  Jerusalem  both  by  the 
word  and  the  Providence  of  God  (ch.  9 :  29, 30  with 
ch.  22:18, 21).— Certain  other  of  them.  Titus 
was  one  (GaL2:i,3),  and  the  fact  that  he  ac- 
companied Paul,  being  an  uncircumcised  Greek, 
as  well  as  the  statement  in  the  next  verse,  indi- 
cates that  the  mind  of  the  church  was  with  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  not  with  the  Judaizers. — About 
this  question.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate 
an  appeal  to  the  church  at  Jerusalem  as  having 
aulhoritj  to  settle  the  question.     The  language 


of  Gal.  3  : 5  implies  the  reverse ;  there  was 
no  question  in  Paul's  mind,  and  we  may  reasonably 
doubt  whether  he  would  have  gone  on  this  mis- 
sion but  for  the  direct  revelation  made  to  him. 
The  false  teachers  came  from  Judea  claiming  to 
speak  for  the  church  there ;  the  brethren  of  An- 
tioch sent  to  Jerusalem  to  learn  the  truth  of 
their  representations. 

3.  Being  brought  on  their  way  by  the 
church.  Officially  escorted  by  delegates  from 
the  church. — Passed  through  Phenice  and 
Samaria.  "As  Galilee  is  not  mentioned,  they 
traveled  probably  along  the  coast  as  far  south  as 
Ptolemais  (ch.  21 : 7),  and  then  crossed  the  plain  of 
Esdraelon  into  Samaria." — {Hackett.) — Declar- 
ing the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.  In  the 
missionary  tour  from  which  they  had  just 
returned.  That  they  were  not  going  to  Jerusa- 
lem to  learn  from  the  church  there  whether  Gen- 
tiles could  be  converted  without  circumcision 
is  very  evident.  Their  account  was  given  to  the 
Christian  churches  which  had  previously  been 
established  along  the  line  of  their  route  (ch.  8 : 5, 
40;  9 :  32;  11  19). — Causcd  great  joy  unto  all 
the  brethren.  The  Judaic  faction  had  small 
influence  in  these  churches. 

4,5.  They  were  received  of  the  church. 
That  is,  cordially  received.  Apparently  prior  to 
any  public  meeting,  Paul  privately  communi- 
cated with  the  leaders  in  the  church  (oai.  2 : 2).  In 
the  public  meeting  observe  that  he  takes  no  part 
in  the  discussion,  except  to  give  a  simple  narra- 
tive of  the  work  which  had  been  done  through 
him  and  Baniabas,  and  of  God's  blessing  upon  it, 
both  in  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  in  the 
wonders  and  miracles  wrought  among  them. — 
There  rose  up  certain  of  the  sect  of  the 
Pharisees.  For  description  of  the  Pharisees, 
see  Matt.  3  :  7,  note.  We  are  not  to  understand 
that  this  is  a  part  of  Paul's  report,  an  account 
of  the  opposition  encountered  at  Antioch  ;  these 
Pharisees  rose  up  at  this  time  in  the  assembly, 
and  demanded  that  these  Gentile  converts  should 
be  circumcised  and  required  to  keep  the  whole 
law  ;  in  other  words,  that  they  must  become  Jews 
before  they  could  become  Christians.  Humanly 
speaking,  tlie  future  of  the  church  depended  on 
the  decision  of  this  question.  If  the  Pharisaic 
party  had  triumphed,  the  Christian  church 
would  have  been  buried  in  the  grave  of  Judaism. 


Ch.  XV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


167 


7  And  when  there  had  been  much  disputing,  Peter 
rose  up.  and  said  unto  them,  Men  and  brethren,  ye 
know"  how  that  a  good  while  ago  God  made  choice 
among  us  that  the  Gentiles  by  my  mouth  should  hear 
the  word  of  the  gospel,  and  believe. 

8  And  God,  whicn  ^  knoweth  the  hearts,  bare  them 
witness,  giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  he  did 
unto  us : 


9  And  put  no  difference  between  us  and  them,  puri- 
fying y  their  hearts  by  faith. 

10  Now  therefore  why  tempt  ye  God,  to  put  a  yoke" 
upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  our  fa- 
thers nor  we  were  able  to  bear  ? 

11  But  we  believe  that  through"  the  grace  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they. 

12  Then  all  the  multitude  kept  silence,  and  gave  au- 


w  ch.  10  :20;  Matt.  16  :  18,  19. 


:  ch.  1  :  24....y  Heb.  9  :  13,  14  j  1  Pet.  1  :  22....I  Gal.  6  :  1....0  Rom.  3  :  24;  Ephes.  2:8;  Tit.  3  :  4,  ». 


6.  It  is  not  easy  to  determine  what  was  the 
constitution  of  this  so-called  council ;  the  lan- 
guage of  this  verse  implies  that  the  matter  was 
brought  before  the  apostles  and  elders  for  their 
deliberation;  the  language  of  ver.  13,  '■'•all  the 
rnultitude,^^  implies  that  the  laity  of  the  church 
generally  were  present ;  and  the  language  of  ver. 
22,  "  then  pleased  it  the  apostles  and  elders,  loith 
the  whole  church,''''  implies  that  they  participated 
in  the  final  action ;  while  the  language  of  ver.  19 
seems  to  imply  that  James,  as  president  of  the 
council,  formally  announced  the  decision.  I  sug- 
gest, as  a  reasonable  surmise,  harmonizing  the 
various  expressions  in  the  narrative,  that  after 
Paul's  account  given  to  the  church,  and  the  criti- 
cisms on  his  course  consequent  thereon,  the  apos- 
tles and  elders  met  as  a  committee,  and  after 
much  discussion,  settled  upon  their  report ;  that 
to  prepare  the  way  for  it,  Peter  first  presented 
his  account  of  the  teachings  of  divine  Provi- 
dence several  years  before  ;  that  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas followed  with  their  account  of  their  mis- 
sionary work  and  God's  approval  of  it  by  mira- 
cles and  wonders ;  that  James  then  announced 
the  decision  which  the  officers  recommended  ; 
and  that,  finally,  this  report  being  ratified  by 
the  whole  church,  was  embodied  in  the  official 
document  contained  in  vers.  23-29.  It  must 
not,  however,  be  forgotten  that  this  was  not  a 
representative  council  of  the  churches  of  Chris- 
tendom, nor  even  of  Palestine,  but  only  the 
officers  and  laity  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
together  with  the  apostles ;  the  latter,  as  the 
immediate  life  companions  of  our  Lord,  would 
have  had  great  influence,  irrespective  of  any 
ecclesiastical  authority  which  they  may  have 
possessed. 

7-9.  When  there  had  been  much  disput- 
ing. A  promiscuous  debate,  but  whether 
among  the  apostles,  or  among  the  multitude,  is 
uncertain ;  if  the  surinise  above  is  correct,  only 
the  apostles  and  elders  took  part  in  this  discus- 
sion.— How  that  a  good  while  ago.  The 
conversion  of  Cornelius  was  not  far  from  fourteen 
years  previous  to  this  time,  assuming  that  Paul's 
expression  in  Gal.  2  : 1,  "fourteen  years  after," 
dates  from  his  conversion.  Peter  refers  to  the 
lapse  of  time  to  show  that  the  question  has  long 
since  been  settled  by  the  revealed  will  of  God. 
See  chaps.  10,  11. — And  the  heart-knowing 
God.    The  value  of  circumcision  consisted  in 


its  evidence  of  consecration  to  God.  To  the 
Judeans  a  refusal  to  be  circumcised  was  an  evi- 
dence of  imperfect  repentance  and  consecration, 
as  with  us  a  refusal  to  be  baptized,  or  to  make  a 
public  profession  of  faith.  To  this  unexpressed 
feeling,  Peter  replies.  The  heart-knowing  God 
(jer.  17 :  lo)  has  bomc  witness  to  the  genuineness 
of  their  godly  character  by  giving  to  them  the 
Holy  Ghost. — Even  as  he  did  unto  us.  That 
is,  with  the  same  miraculous  gifts  (ch.  ii :  is,  note). 
— Put  no  difference.  Rather  recognized  no 
difference  ;  did  not  discriminate  between  them 
and  us,  having  broken  down  by  Christ  the  mid- 
dle wall  of  partition  between  Jew  and  Gentile. 
See  Ephes.  2  :  14.— Purifying  their  hearts 
by  the  faith.  Even  the  O.  T.  recognized  the 
truth  that  circumcision,  unaccompanied  by  puri- 
fication of  heart,  was  valueless  (Jer.  9 :  26).  Comp. 
Col.  2  :  11.  This  circumcision  of  the  heart  had 
been  granted  to  the  Gentiles,  who  thus  were 
received  into  the  covenant  of  God.  The  faith  by 
which  their  hearts  were  purified  is  not  merely, 
as  Dr.  Hackett,  a  "belief  in  the  truth,"  but,  as 
explained  by  Peter  himself,  in  1  Pet.  1  :  22,  that 
faith  which  obeys  the  truth  through  the  spirit 
unto  unfeigned  love.  The  essential  truth  under- 
lying Peter's  argument,  and  equally  applicable 
to  modem  times,  is  that  he  whose  heart  has  been 
purified  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  who  gives 
evidence  thereof  by  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  as 
portrayed  in  Gal.  5  :  22,  23,  is  a  child  of  God, 
however  he  may  fall  short  of  the  ecclesiastical 
requirements  of  the  church. 

10,  11.  Now,  therefore,  why  tempt  ye 
God  ?  By  requiring  any  other  evidence  of  the 
universality  of  his  grace.  —  To  put  a  yoke 
upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples.  That  is, 
by  attempting  to  put  such  yoke  upon  them. — 
Which  neither  we  nor  our  fathers  were 
able  to  bear.  This  yoke  is  not  the  external 
observance  of  the  ceremonial  law,  for  that  the 
Jews  did  bear,  but  the  burden  to  the  conscience 
of  one  who  accounts  obedience  to  such  law 
essential  to  salvation.  It  cannot  be  borne  be- 
cause it  is  not  the  object  of  the  law  to  give  salva- 
tion, but  to  afford  a  knowledge  of  sin.  See 
Rom.  3  :  19,  20  ;  7  :  9-34.  In  the  latter  passage 
Paul  illustrates  the  burdensomeness  of  this  yoke. 
Contrast  Christ's  yoke  (M.itt.  ii  :  29,  so).  —  Bat 
through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  we 
trust  to    be  saved,  in  which    way  they 


168 


THE   ACTS. 


[Ch.  XV. 


diecce  to  Barnabas  and  Paul,  declaring  what  miracles 
and  wonders  God  had  wrought  •*  among  the  Gentiles 
by  them. 

13  And  after  they  had  held  their  peace,  James  an- 
swered, saying,  Men  and  brethren,  hearken  unto 
me: 

14  Simeon  hath  declared  "=  how  God  at  the  first  did 
visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  his 
name. 

15  And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  prophets;  as 
it  is  written,"! 


16  After  this  I  will  return,  and  will  build  again  the 
tabernacle  of  David,  which  is  fallen  down  ;  and  I  wiU 
build  again  the  ruins  thereof,  and  I  will  set  it  up  : 

17  That  the  residue  of  men  might  seek  after  the  Lord, 
and  all  the  Gentiles,  upon  whom  my  name  is  called, 
saith  the  Lord,  who  doeth  all  these  things. 

18  Known  ■=  unto  God  are  all  his  works,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world. 

19  Wherefore  my  sentence  is,  that  we  trouble  not 
them,  which  from  among  the  Gentiles  are  turned  '  to 
God: 


b  ch.  14  :  27 . . . .  c  Luke  2  :  31,  32 d  Amos  9  :  11, 12 e  Isa.  46  :  10 f  1  Thess.  1  :  9. 


also.  This  is  the  literal  rendering  of  ver.  11, 
which  consummates  the  apostle's  argument; 
the  Jewish  Christians  are  saved,  not  through 
circumcision,  but  through  the  grace  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  which  does  not  bring  salvation 
to  the  Jew,  cannot  to  the  Gentile. 

12.  From  the  efEect  upon  the  multitude,  it 
is  evident  that  Peter's  address  was  delivered  to 
the  church  as  a  whole,  not  merely  to  the  apos- 
tles and  elders.  Paul  and  Barnabas  then  re- 
hearsed the  miracles  and  wonders  wrought  by 
them  among  the  Gentiles  (ch.  13 :  ii ;  14 : 3, 8-10)  as 
an  evidence  of  the  divine  approval  of  their  work 
in  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  uncircumcised. 

13.  James  answered.  Called  in  Gal.  1  :  19 
the  Lord's  brother,  and,  as  I  believe,  the  literal 
brother  of  Jesus,  not  a  cousin  or  other  relative. 
See  note  on  Brethren  of  the  Lord,  Vol.  I,  p.  87. 
He  was  not  one  of  the  twelve,  though  designated 
by  Paul  as  an  apostle.  He  is  probably  the 
author  of  the  Epistle  General  of  St.  James.  In 
ecclesiastical  history  he  is  designated  James  the 
Just,  and  is  reported  by  tradition  to  have  been 
appointed  bishop  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Lord  him- 
self. That  he  occupied  a  prominent  and  influ- 
ential position  in  the  primitive  church  is  evident. 
Comp.  ch.  13  :  17 ;  21  :  18 ;  GaL  3  :  9.  Tradition 
attributes  to  him  an  austere  and  ascetic  charac- 
ter, whose  sympathies  would  naturally  be  with 
the  Hebraistic  party  in  the  church,  and  whose 
decision  would  therefore  have  special  weight 
with  the  Hebrew  Christians.  Of  all  the  books 
of  the  N.  T.,  his  epistle  probably  most  strongly 
emphasizes  the  necessity  of  works  of  righteous- 
ness, and  says  least  of  the  inward  experience  of 
faith.  It  accords  with  this  aspect  of  his  charac- 
ter that  he  refers  to  Peter  by  his  Hebrew  name, 
and  to  the  O.  T.  Scriptures  in  support  of  the  ad- 
mission of  uncircumcised  Gentiles  to  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

14-18.  Simeon.  The  Greek  form  of  the 
Hebrew  name  ;  used  once  by  Peter  of  himself 
(sPet.  1  : 1),  but  in  connection  with  his  Christian 
name.  The  name  Peter  was  given  to  Simon  by 
Christ  (John  1 :  42;  Matt.  16 :  is). — God  at  the  first. 
So  Peter  (ver.  7)  says  a  good  while  ago.  James 
recalls  the  fact  that  God's  visiting  the  uncircum- 
cised Gentiles  is  not  new  in  the  experience  of  the 


Christian  church. — To  take  out  of  them  a 
people  for  his  name.  Comp.  1  Pet.  3:9; 
Matt.  21  :  43,  note. — The  words  of  the  pro- 
phets. The  quotation  which  follows  is  from 
Amos  9  :  11,  13 ;  it  does  not  agree  verbally  with 
either  the  Septuagint  or  the  Hebrew  version. 
The  original  passage  is  thus  translated  by 
SchmoUer  {Lange^a  Com.) : 

In  that  day  will  I  raise  up 

The  fallen  hut  of  David, 

And  wall  up  its  breaches, 

And  raise  up  its  ruins. 

And  build  it  as  in  the  days  of  old ; 

That  they  may  possess  the  remnant  of  Edom 

and  all  the  nations 
Upon  whom  my  name  is  called, 
Saith  Jehovah  who  doeth  this. 

Edom  is  specified  in  the  original  prophecy  be- 
cause while  they  were  related  to  Israel  they 
were  especially  hostile  ;  to  receive  possession  of 
Edom  was  therefore  symbolical  of  Israel's  great- 
est glory.  The  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  be- 
gan with  the  coming  of  Christ  the  Son  of  David, 
and  will  be  perfected  when  he  is  fully  recognized 
King  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  taber- 
nacle of  David  is  not  the  divine  tabernacle,  the 
precursor  of  the  Temple ;  the  kingdom  is  de- 
sciibed  not  as  the  palace  nor  as  the  house,  but  as 
the  booth  or  hut  of  David,  to  indicate  its  fallen 
condition.  The  residue  of  men,  literally  the  for- 
saken, is  a  designation  of  the  Gentiles.  So  in 
Ephes.  2:3;  1  Thess.  4  :  13 ;  5:6,  the  otJiers  are 
the  heathen  (there  01  komoc,  here  xuruloinog). 
Upon  whom  my  name  is  called  is  equivalent  to, 
Who  are  sumamed  by  my  name,  that  is.  Who 
are  called  Christians.  The  quotation  from  Amos 
ends  with  ver.  17;  ver.  18  is  added  by  James. 
The  best  reading  is.  Known  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  the  words  unto  Ood  are  all  his  works 
being  added;  so  Meyer,  Tischendorf,  Alford. 
The  variation  is  not  immaterial;  adopting  the 
better  reading,  the  meaning  of  James  appears  to 
be  that  this  call  of  the  Gentiles  is  not  a  new  rev- 
elation, but  something  made  known  from  the 
beginning  by  the  prophets.  The  passage  in 
Amos,  then,  as  interpreted  by  James,  declares 
that  after  the  desolation  of  Israel  foretold  in  the 
preceding  verses  God  will  return  in  mercy  and 


Ch.  XV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


169 


20  But  that  we  write  unto  them,  that  they  abstain 
from  pollutions  of s  idols,  and  from  fornication,''  and 
from  things  strangled,  andyVow  blood.' 

21  For  Moses  of  old  time  hath  in  every  city  them 
that  preach  him,  being  J  read  in  the  synagogues  every 
sabbath  day. 


22  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles  and  elders,  with  the 
whole  church,  to  send  chosen  men  of  their  own  com- 
pany to  Antioch,  with  Paul  and  Barnabas ;  namely^ 
Judas  surnamed  Barsabas,''  and  Silas,  chief  men  among 
the  brethren : 

23  And  they  wrote  letters  by  them  after  this  man- 


g  Exod.  20  :  4,  5 ;  1  Co 


8  :  1,  etc. ;  10  :  28  ;  Rev.  2  :  14,  20 ;  9  :  20. . .  .li  1  Cor.  6:9,18;  Col.  3  :  5  ;  1  Thess.  4  :  3. 
12  :16,  23 j  cb.  13  :  15,  27 k  cli.  1  :  23. 


.i  Lev.  17  :  14 ;  Dent. 


rebuild  the  kingdom  of  David  in  such  a  way  that 
the  Gentiles,  accepting  the  name  of  Christ,  may 
themselves  enter  and  share  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

19,  20.  Wherefore  my  sentence  is.  Lit- 
erally, Wherefore  I  judge.  The  original  {y.qhw) 
signifies  not  merely  an  opinion,  but  a  positive 
decision.  See  Matt.  7  :  5,  note.  But  it  does  not 
indicate  that  the  speaker's  authority  was  greater 
than  that  of  the  others.  The  phrase  was  a  com- 
mon formula  in  the  Greek  assemblies,  by  which 
individual  members  gave  expression  to  their 
verdict  or  decision  after  discussion.  "  The  whole 
proceeding  is  analogous  to  that  which  continu- 
ally takes  place  in  our  own  church-courts,  when 
the  roll  is  called  to  give  the  members  present  an 
opportunity  of  stating  their  judgment  upon  some 
important  question." — (Alexander.) — That  we 
trouble  not  them.  By  laying  upon  them  bur- 
densome ceremonial  regulations.  Comp.  Gal. 
5  :  12.  That  circumcision  was  peculiarly  bur- 
densome to  the  Gentiles,  see  ver.  1,  note. — Are 
turned  to  God.  Rather  are  turning.  The 
judgment  of  James  was  against  imposing  any 
burdens  upon  and  hindrances  to  those  Gentiles 
who,  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel,  were 
turning  to  the  Lord. — From  pollutions  of 
idols.  The  animals  sacrificed  to  tlie  gods  were 
not  wholly  consumed  in  burnt  offerings  ;  certain 
portions  were  destroyed,  and  the  remainder  were 
eaten  by  men  in  a  festive  meal,  or  sometimes 
sold  in  the  markets.  These  meats  were  account- 
ed an  abomination  among  the  Jews,  and  to  par- 
take of  them  knowingly  was  a  heinous  offence 
(pa.  105 :  28).  To  guard  against  the  possibility  of 
unwittingly  partaking  of  such  meat,  some  con- 
fined themselves  to  herbs  (Rom.  u :  2).  Paul  sub- 
sequently declares  that  these  are  needless  scru- 
ples, and  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  in  such 
meats  (Rom.  14 : 3, 14 ;  1  Cor.  8 : 4-8),  with  which  agrees 
Christ's  instructions  in  Mark  7  :  14-33 ;  at  the 
same  time  he  recommends  the  Gentile  Christians 
to  abstain  from  eating  them  if  partaking  will  be 
a  temptation  or  an  ofience  to  others  (Rom.  14 :  15-21 ; 
1  Cor.  8 : 9-13) ;  and  that  appears  to  be  the  principle 
upon  which  the  recommendation  to  abstinence  is 
given  here  by  James. — And  from  fornication. 
It  has  been  a  perplexity  to  the  commentators 
that  this  positive  sin  should  be  included  with 
other  matters  in  themselves  indifferent.  The 
explanation  is,  not  that  the  word  fornication  is 
used  in  any  other  than  its  natural  sense,  but  that 


this  vice,  when  practised  by  men,  was  not  re- 
garded as  blameworthy  in  Greek  society  ;  public 
opinion  in  the  ancient  Greek  cities  upon  this 
subject  is  illustrated  by,  but  was  far  worse  than, 
that  which  still  exists  in  some  European  capi- 
tals. "The  young  men  of  Athens,  previous  to 
their  marriage,  spent  a  great  part  of  their  time 
in  the  company  of  mistresses,  without  its  being 
thought  blameable  in  any  respect  whatever. 
Marriage,  indeed,  produced  on  the  whole  a 
change  in  this  mode  of  living  of  young  men,  but 
in  innumerable  instances  even  married  men  con- 
tinued their  intercourse  with  mistresses,  without 
drawing  upon  themselves  the  censure  of  public 
opinion." — {Smith'' s  Diet,  of  Ant.)  The  Jews,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  and  always  have  been  a  char- 
acteristically chaste  people.  In  specifying,  there- 
fore, those  peculiarities  which  distinguished  the 
Jews  from  the  Gentiles,  and  which  Christian 
converts  were  to  maintain,  it  was  necessary  to 
include  personal  chastity. — From  things  stran- 
gled and  from  blood.  The  Jewish  law  forbade 
the  partaking  of  blood  in  any  shape  (cen.  9:4;  Lev. 
17 :  13, 14 ;  Deut.  12 :  23, 24),  and  this  therefore  involved  a 
prohibition  of  eating  animals  killed  by  strangling, 
because  they  would  contain  the  blood.  To  the 
present  day  the  Jews  maintain  separate  butchers' 
establishments,  and  kill  their  meat  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  on  account  of  these  prohibitions. 

31.  This  verse  assigns  the  reason  for  the  ad- 
monitions given  to  the  Gentile  converts.  The 
primitive  Christian  churches  were  composed  of 
three  classes :  heathen,  proselytes,  Jews — the  two 
latter,  attendants  upon  the  synagogue,  would 
hear  the  prohibitions  of  the  ceremonial  law  con- 
stantly read ;  if  their  fellow-Christians  disre- 
garded them,  controversies,  and  perhaps  schisms, 
would  then  ensue.  It  was  for  the  sake  of  peace 
that  the  Gentile  Christians  were  to  submit  to  a 
temporary  limitation  of  their  Christian  liberty. 

33.  With  the  Avhole  church.  Observe 
that  this  commission  was  sent,  not  by  the  apos- 
tles alone,  nor  by  a  council  of  churches,  but  by 
the  church  at  Jerusalem. — Of  their  own.  The 
word  company  has  no  equivalent  in  the  original. 
The  meaning  is,  members  of  their  own  church. — 
Judas.  Nothing  further  is  known  of  him  except 
that  he  was  a  prophet  (ver.  32,  note).  The  fact  that 
this  Judas  was  surnamed  Birsabas,  while  Judas 
the  apostle  (ch.  1 :  13)  was  surnamed  Lebbaeus  or 
Thaddseus  (Matt.  10 : 3 ;  Mark  3  :  is),  indicates  that 
this  one  is  not  the  apostle. — Silas.    Always  so 


170 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XY. 


ner ;  The  apostles,  and  elders,  and  brethren,  send 
greeting  unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles  in 
Antioch,  and  Syria,  and  Cilicia : 

24  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard,  that  certain'  which 
went  out  from  us  have  troubled™  you  with  words," 
subverting  your  souls,  saying,   Ye  must  be  circum- 


cised, and  keep  the  law :  to  whom  °  we  gave  no  such 
commandment: 

25  It  seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one 
accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you,  with  our  beloved 
Barnabas  and  Paul, 

26  Men  that  have  hazarded  p  their  lives  for  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


1  Terse  1 m  Gal.  5:12 n  Gal.  5:4 0  Gal.  2:4 p  ch.  13  :  60  ;  14  :  19. 


named  in  the  Acts,  always  Silvanus  in  the  Epis- 
tles ;  the  former  was  probably  his  Jewish,  the 
latter  his  Gentile  name.  He  is  believed  to  have 
been  a  Grecian  Jew ;  Acts  16  :  37  indicates  that 
he  was  a  Roman  citizen.  He  accompanied  Paul 
on  his  second  missionary  journey  through  Asia 
Minor  to  Macedonia  (ver.  40  \  ch.  n :  4),  remained  be- 
hind in  Berea  (n  :  10, 14),  and  joined  Paul  again 
in  Corinth  (is :  6 ;  1  Thess.  1:1;  2  Thess.  1 :  i),  whcre  he 
preached  with  Paul  and  Timotheus  (2  Cor.  1 :  19). 
Whether  he  was  the  Silvanus  who  conveyed 
Peter's  first  Epistle  to  Asia  Minor  (1  Pet.  5 :  12)  is 
doubtful,  though  the  probabilities  are  in  favor 
of  the  identity. — Leading  men  among  the 
brethren.  Personal  influence  rather  than  offi- 
cial position  is  probably  indicated. 

23.  And  they  wrote  by  them.  The  indi- 
cation is  that  an  exact  transcript  of  the  original 
letter  is  given.  The  words  after  this  manner  are 
wanting  in  the  best  manuscripts.— The  apos- 
tles and  elders,  brethren.  The  word  and  is 
wanting  in  the  ancient  manuscripts  ;  the  apostles 
and  elders  are  not  masters  but  themselves  breth- 
ren (Matt.  23  ;  8;  1  Tiin.  5  :  1  ;  1  Pet.  5  :  z). — ThfOUghout 

Antioch  and  Syria  and  Cilicia.  An  indica- 
tion both  that  Christian  churches  had  been  organ- 
ized throughout  those  regions,  and  also  that  the 
Judaizers  had  demanded  elsewhere  than  in  An- 
tioch the  circumcision  of  Gentile  converts. — 
Cilicia  was  the  most  south-easterly  province 
of  Asia  Minor,  divided  by  Mount  Amanus  from 
Syria.  When  Cicero  was  proconsul  of  Cilicia, 
B.  c.  51-50,  it  included  Pamphylia,  Pisidia,  Lycao- 
nia  and  the  island  of  Cyprus,  and  although  subse- 
quently reduced  under  Augustus  to  much  nar- 
rower dimensions,  the  term  is  probably  here  used 
in  the  larger  sense,  for  it  is  almost  certain  that  the 
letter  would  be  sent  to  the  churches  which  Paul 
had  organized  in  his  missionary  tour  throughout 
Pamphylia,  Pisidia,  Phrygia,  and  Lycaonia,  as 
well  as  to  those  which  presumptively  grew  out 
of  his  previous  ministry  in  Tarsus,  the  capital 
of  Cilicia  proper  (ch.  9 :  30).  Syna,  an  abbreviation 
or  modification  of  Assyria,  like  all  the  ancient 
provinces,  had  indeterminate  because  variable 
boundaries,  differing  at  different  periods  of  its 
history.  In  general  terms  they  may  be  described 
as  the  Mediterranean  on  the  west,  the  Euphrates 
on  the  east,  the  range  of  Amanus  and  Taurus 
on  the  north,  and  the  great  desert  of  Arabia  on 
the  south  ;  these  include  the  provinces  of  Judea, 


Samaria  and  Galilee,  and  the  country  of  Phoeni- 
cia, known  in  the  N.  T.  from  its  principal  cities, 
as  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  Possibly  the  let- 
ter was  sent  to  the  churches  throughout  all  these 
provinces,  including  those  converted  through  the 
ministries  described  in  ch.  8  :  25,  26,  40 ;  9  :  22, 
32-43  ;  11  :  19,  20. 

24-26.  Have  troubled  yon.  Here  in  the 
sense  of  throwing  into  agitation  and  perplex- 
ity.— Subverting  your  souls.  Because  reU- 
ance  upon  rites  and  ceremonies  always  leads 
the  soul  away  from  reliance  upon  Christ  (oai. 
6 : 2-1). — Saying,  Ye  must  be  circumcised 
and  keep  the  law.  These  words  are  omitted 
by  Alf ord  and  Tischendorf ;  they  were  probably 
added  by  some  scribe  as  an  explanation,  but  it 
is  a  needless  one.  "The  persons  to  whom  the 
epistle  was  addressed  would  very  well  know 
what  it  was  that  had  disturbed  their  minds,  and 
the  omission  of  formal  mention  of  it  would  be 
natural,  to  avoid  prominent  cause  of  offence  to 
the  Jewish  converts,  by  an  apparent  deprecia- 
tion of  circumcision  and  the  observance  of  the 
law." — {Alford.) — To  whom  we  gave  no  com- 
mandment. The  word  such  is  added  by  the 
translators ;  the  declaration  of  the  letter  is  that 
this  self-constituted  delegation  was  not  author- 
ized to  speak  for  the  church  at  Jerusalem.  That 
they  had  pretended  to  do  so  is  implied  here,  and 
is  perhaps  confirmed  by  Paul's  characterization 
of  them  in  Gal.  2:4,  as  "false  brethren." — 
Being  assembled  with  one  accord.  Or, 
agreed  with  one  consent.  Ncander  and  Alford  give 
the  former,  Bengel,  Meyer,  Hackett  and  Alex- 
ander the  latter,  which  seems  to  me  better  to 
agree  both  with  the  meaning  of  the  original  and 
with  the  context.  The  Greek  i^ouo^v^udor)  sig- 
nifies heartiness  of  accord  (see  ch.  1  :  14,  note) ; 
and  while  there  is  no  special  significance  in  stat- 
ing that  the  church  had  assembled  together, 
there  is  evident  reason  why  they  should  state 
that  the  decision  was  unanimous  and  after  dis- 
cussion.— Our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul. 
An  incidental  but  strong  indorsement  of  them 
whose  character  and  authority  had  been  im- 
pugned by  the  Judaizers  (cai.  2 : 4-6). — Men  that 
have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  mean- 
ing given  by  all  the  commentators.  Literally 
rendered,  however,  the  verse  would  read,  Men 
who  have  given  their  lives  fw  the  name  of  our  Lord 


Ch.  XV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


171 


27  We  have  sent  therefore  Judas  and  Silas,  who  shall 
also  tell  you  the  same  things  by  mouth. 

28  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us, 
to  lay  upon  you  do  greater  burden  1  than  these  neces- 
sary things : 

29  That  ye  abstain'  from  meats  offered  to  idols,  and 
from  blood,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  from  forni- 
cation: from  which  if  ye  keep'  yourselves,  ye  shall  do 
well.    Fare  ye  well. 

30  So  when  they  were  dismissed,  they  came  to  An- 
tioch :  and  when  they  had  gathered  the  multitude  to- 
gether, they  delivered  the  epistle  : 

31  IVkich  when  they  had  read,  they  rejoiced  for  the 
consolation. 

32  And  Judas  and  Silas,  being  prophets  also  them- 
selves, exhorted  the  brethren  with  many  words,  and 
confirmed '  them. 

33  And  after  they  had  tarried  there  a  space,  they  were 
let  go  "  in  peace  from  the  brethren  unto  the  apostles. 


34  Notwithstanding ,  it  pleased  Silas  to  abide  there  still. 

35  Paul  also  and  Barnabas  continued  in  Antiucli, 
teaching  and  preaching  the  word  ot  the  Lord,  with 
many  others  also. 

36  And  some  days  after,  Paul  said  unto  Barnabas, 
Let  us  go  again  and  visit  our  brethren  in'  every  city 
where  we  have  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  see 
how  tliey  do. 

37  And  Barnabas  determined  to  take  with  them 
John,"  whose  surname  was  Mark. 

38  But  Paul  thought  not  good  to  take  him  with  them, 
who  departed  ^  from  them  from  Pamphylia,  and  went 
not  with  them  to  the  work. 

39  And  the  contention  was  so  sharp  between  them, 
that  they  departed  asunder  one  from  the  other :  and  so 
Barnabas  took  Mark,  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus: 

40  And  Paul  chose  Silas,  and  departed,  being  recom- 
mended y  by  the  brethren  unto  the  grace  of  God. 

41  And  he  went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  confirm- 
ing '  the  churches. 


...r  verse  20 s  2  Cor.  11  :  9;   Jamea  1  :  27  ;    1  John  5  :  21 ;  Jude  20,  21 t  ch.  14  :  22 n  1  Cor.  16  11  ;    2  John  10 

T  ch.  13:4,  etc.... w  ch.  12:  12,  25;  Col.  4  :  10  ...x  ch.  13:  13.... y  chaps.  14:  26;  20:32....z  ch:  16:5. 


q  Rev.  2  :  24. 


Jesms  Christ,  and  this  appears  to  me  to  be  its  true 
significance.  It  is  not  the  risks  they  have  run 
which  makes  them  beloved,  but  the  fact  that 
they  have  wholly  consecrated  their  lives  to  hon- 
oring Christ's  name.  The  verse  is  interpreted 
by  Paul's  account  of  his  own  experience  in  Phil. 
3:8.  He  employs  the  same  verb  l^nuQudldtuui) 
in  describing  Christ's  love,  in  Gal.  3 :  20,  "  who 
loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me. ' ' 

37-29.  Who  shall  tell  you  the  same 
things  by  mouth.  Not  the  same  things  that 
Paul  and  Barnabas  had  preached,  but  the  same 
things  contained  in  this  letter ;  they  would  cer- 
tify to  its  authenticity,  and  answer  any  ques- 
tions respecting  the  decision  of  the  church  at 
Jerusalem. — To  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us. 
The  claim  implied  to  speak  authoritatively  for 
the  Spirit  of  God  indicates  unmistakably  their 
belief  in  their  own  divine  inspiration.  It  accords 
with  the  promise  made  by  Christ  to  the  apostles 
in  Matt.  28  :  20  and  John  14  :  26.— These  neces- 
sary things.  Necessary,  because  Christian  char- 
ity required  the  Gentile  converts  to  avoid  need- 
lessly offending  their  Jewish  brethren.  Observe 
the  radicalism  of  this  letter ;  circumcision,  ablu- 
tions, the  observance  of  days,  the  discrimination 
between  clean  and  unclean  things,  together  with 
the  whole  Jewish  ritual,  was  swept  away.  Take 
note  also  that  the  observance  of  the  Jewish  Sab- 
bath is  not  among  the  necessary  things  laid  upon 
the  Gentile  Christians. — That  ye  abstain,  etc. 
See  on  ver.  20. — Fare  ye  well.  The  customary 
conclusion  of  epistles.  Comp.  23  :  30.  The  lit- 
eral meaning  is  Be  ye  strong.  Together  with  this 
oflBcial  letter,  were  instructions  to  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas to  remember  the  poor  (oai.  2 :  10),  i.  e.,  the 
poor  at  Jerusalem,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
Judas  and  Silas,  when  they  returned  from  their 
mission  (ver.  33),  carried  back  with  them  from  An- 
tioch  the  contributions  of  the  brethren  there. 

30-35.  They  came  to  Antioch.  Whence, 
probably,  copies  of  the  letter  were  sent  to  the 


other  churches. — For  the    consolation.    In 

the  assurance  that  the  question  was  peacefully 
settled,  and  that  there  was  no  danger  of  schism. 
— Being  prophets.  Itispired  teachers.  See 
ch.  13  :  1,  note.  Their  exhortations,  therefore, 
possessed  a  special  and  recognized  authority. 
— Had  tarried  a  space.  There  is  nothing  to 
indicate  the  length  of  time. — Let  go  in  peace. 
With  peace,  i.  e.,  with  the  customary  Jewish  salu- 
tation. Peace  be  with  you  ;  here,  with  something 
of  the  significance  imparted  to  it  by  Christ  (John 
14 :  27). — Ver.  34  is  wanting  in  the  best  manu- 
scripts, and  has  probably  been  inserted  to  har- 
monize the  statement  in  ver.  23,  implying  that 
Silas  returned  to  Jerusalem,  with  that  in  ver.  40, 
that  he  shortly  after  accompanied  Paul  in  his 
second  missionary  journey. — Teaching  and 
preaching.  Teaching  the  Christian  disciples  ; 
preaching,  as  heralds,  the  Gospel  to  those  that 
knew  it  not.  This  is  the  twofold  function  of  the 
ministry. 

Ch.  15  :  36  to  ch.  16  :  13.  P4UL  RESUMES  HIS  HISSION- 
ARY  LABOKS.    He  illustrates   the  spirit  of  thb 

COUNSEL  OF  THB  CHURCH  AT  JERUSALEM,  THOUGH  HE 
GOES  BEYOND  ITS  LETTER  (ver.  3). — GeEAT  WORK,  FEW 

WORDS  (ver.  6).— Even  Paul  goes  to  the  Gentiles 

ONLY  when  compelled   BY  THE   SPIRIT  OF   GOD  (vers. 

7-10).— The  FrasT  public  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
IN  Europe  (ver.  13). 

The  account  of  Paul's  second  missionary  jour- 
ney, in  which  Silas  is  his  companion,  instead  of 
Barnabas,  occupies  up  to  ch.  18  :  22.  It  lasted 
three  or  four  years,  a.  d.  51-54.  During  this 
journey  he  revisits  the  churches  in  Syria  and 
Cilicia,  thence  passing  rapidly  through  Asia 
Minor,  crosses  into  Europe,  preaches  the  Gos- 
pel at  Philippi,  Thessalonica  and  Berea  in  Mace- 
donia, at  Athens  and  Corinth  in  Greece,  and 
thence  returns  by  ship  to  Caesarea,  stopping  at 
Ephesus  on  the  way,  and  reaches  Antioch  prob- 
ably in  the  summer  or  fall  of  a.  d.  54.  During 
this  time  he  is  thought  to  have  written  the  two 


172 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVL 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THEN  came  he  to  Derbe"  and  Lystra:  and,  be- 
hold, a  certain  disciple  was  there,  named  Timo- 


theus,''  the  son  of  a  '  certain  woman,  which  was  a  Jew- 
ess, and  believed  ;  but  his  father  was  a  Greelc : 

2  Which  was  well  "^  reported  of  by  the  brethren  that 
were  at  Lystra  and  Iconium. 


a  ch.  14  :  6 b  ch.  19  :  22  ;  Rom.  16  :  21 ;  1  Cor.  4  :  17 c  2  Tim.  1:6 d  ch.  6  :  3 ;  1  Tim.  5  :  10. 


epistles  to  the  Thessalonians.    See  Chron.  Table, 
p.  20. 

36-41.  Some  days  after.  A  comparatively 
short  period  is  probably  iudicated. — How  they 
do.  "  In  faith,  love  and  hope  "  (Bengel).  Paul 
was  not  content  to  measure  his  work  by  the 
number  of  conversions,  but  sought  to  strength- 
en converts  in  the  faith,  and  assure  himself  of 
their  well-being.  This  was  that  "care  of  the 
churches ' '  which  came  on  him  daUy  (2  Cor.  n  :  28). 
See  ch.  18  :  23 ;  1  Thess.  3  :  5 ;  2  Cor.  11  :  3,  3.— 
And  Barnabas  purposed  to  take  with 
them  John.  Who  was  a  i-elative  (coi.  4 :  10,  note). 
— But  Paul  thought  proper,  as  to  one  who 
had  fallen  off  from  them  from  Pamphylia, 
and  had  not  gone  with  them  to  the  work, 
not  to  take  with  them  that  man.  This, 
which  is  Alford's  translation,  represents  more 
accurately  than  our  English  version  the  rugged 
force  of  the  original.  —  And  the  contention 
was  so  sharp.  The  original  {7taQ0^vof/.6<:,  con- 
tention) indicates  bitterness  in  the  controversy, 
and  implies  blame  on  both  sides.  The  event 
illustrates  Paul's  declaration  in  ch.  14  :  15. 
Paul's  subsequent  reference  both  to  Barnabas 
(i  Cor.  9 : 6)  and  to  Mark  (2  Tim.  4 :  11)  indicate  that  the 
separation  was  not  permanent. — So  Barnabas 
took  Mark  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus.  His 
native  country  (ch.  4  :  36).  Christianity  subse- 
quently became  established  in  this  island,  a  fact 
presumptively  due,  at  least  in  part,  to  his  labors. 
But  he  is  not  again  mentioned  in  Acts,  nor  is  any- 
thing of  his  subsequent  history  known.  The 
fact  that  a  spurious  letter  of  Barnabas  existed 
as  early  as  the  second  century  indicates  that  he 
occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  Christian 
church,  otherwise  his  name  would  not  be  forged 
to  such  a  document. — And  Paul  chose  Silas. 
Who  had  perhaps  not  gone  back  to  Jerusalem  with 
Judas  (ver.  34,  note),  or  possibly  had  returned  again 
to  Antioch  ;  perhaps  at  the  request  of  Paul  to  be 
his  companion  on  this  journey. — Being  recom- 
mended by  the  brethren.  It  is  not  without 
significance  that  Barnabas  is  represented  as  set- 
ting out  upon  his  journey  with  his  nephew  with- 
out any  special  sympathy  or  approval,  while 
Paul  is  commended  to  the  grace  of  God  by  the 
assembled  church.  We  may  hence  fairly  con- 
clude that  in  this  controversy  the  judgment  of 
the  brethren  went,  in  the  main,  with  Paul. — 
Syria  and  Cilicia.  See  on  ver.  23.  The 
churches  visited  in  Syria  would  possibly  include 
those  in  and  about  Damascus.  In  the  sketch 
of  his  jouiTiey  which  follows  we  have  no  other 


indications  to  guide  us  than  the  mountain  passes 
and  some  remains  of  ancient  Roman  roads. 
From  these  indications  we  judge  that  he  crossed 
Mt.  Amanus,  the  natural  boundary  between 
Syria  and  Cilicia,  by  the  gorge  anciently  called 
the  Syrian  Gate,  now  known  as  the  Beilan  Pass. 
In  Cilicia,  whatever  other  churches  he  visited, 
he  probably  did  not  omit  that  which  had  been 
almost  certainly  established  by  his  labors  in  his 
native  city  of  Tarsus.  Thence  he  must  have 
crossed  Mt.  Taurus  into  the  province  of  Lyca- 
onia,  probably  through  the  great  fissure  known 
in  ancient  days  as  the  Cilician  Gates,  a  gorge 
extending,  from  north  to  south,  a  distance  of 
some  80  miles. 


Ch.  16  :  1,  2.  Derbe  and  Lystra.  Paul's 
course,  as  above  described,  would  bring  him 
first  to  Derbe,  then  to  Lystra.  For  description 
of  these  cities,  see  ch.  14,  note  ;  in  the  latter  city 
he  had  been  stoned  and  left  for  dead. — A  cer- 
tain disciple  Avas  there.  That  is,  at  Lystra. 
The  language  of  ch.  20  :  4  does  not  imply  that 
Timothy  came  from  Derbe,  rather  the  reverse. 
He  had  probably  been  converted  at  Paul's  pre- 
vious visit  to  Lystra.  See  ch.  14,  note.  His 
mother's  name  was  Eunice,  his  grandmother's 
name  Lois  (2  Tim.  i :  5) ;  they  were  both  Christians, 
probably  having  been  converted  at  Paul's  pre- 
vious visit.  From  childhood  he  had  been  in- 
structed in  the  Jewish  Scriptures  (2  Tim.  3 :  15)  at 
home,  for  there  is  no  mdication  of  any  synagogue 
at  Lystra ;  the  father's  name  is  unknown,  he  was 
a  Greek,  possibly,  though  that  is  entirely  uncer- 
tain, a  proselyte.  Marriages  with  the  heathen 
were  forbidden  by  the  O.  T.  (neut.  i  -.  3, 4),  but  this 
law  was  often  disregarded  by  Jews  residing  in 
foreign  lands  (Ruth  1 : 4).  Timothy,  bemg  both  of 
Jewish  and  Greek  extraction,  would  be  thus 
peculiarly  fitted  to  be  Paul's  coadjutor  in  his 
missionary  work.  The  two  epistles  written  by 
Paul  to  him  contain  indications  of  his  character ; 
he  was  not  robust  (1  Tim.  5 :  23),  naturally  shrank 
from  opposition  and  responsibility  (i  Tim.  4 :  12-16 ; 
6:20;  6:11-14;  2  Tim.  2 : 1-7),  was  tender  and  sensi- 
tive (2  Tim.  1 : 4),  and  dcvout  and  earnestly  conse- 
crated to  the  service  of  God— this  last  being  mdi- 
cated  by  his  abandonment  of  his  home  to  accom- 
pany the  apostle,  and  by  his  submission  to  the 
rite  of  circumcision.  —  A  Jewess  and  be- 
lieved. A  Jewess  by  birth  and  education;  a 
Christian  believer  by  personal  conviction.— 
Which  Avas  well  reported  of  by  the 
brethren.    This  is  stated  of  Timothy,  not  of 


Ch.  XVI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


173 


3  Him  would  Paul  have  to  go  forth  with  him  ;  and 
took  and  circumcised  him,"  because  of  the  Jews'  which 
were  in  those  quarters:  for  they  knew  all  that  his  fa- 
ther was  a  Greek. 

4  And  as  they  went  through  the  cities,  they  delivered 


them  the  decrees  for  to  keep,  that  were  ordained  e  of 
the  apostles  and  elders  which  were  at  Jerusalem. 

5  And  so  were  the  churches'"  established  in  the  faitli, 
and  increased  in  number  daily. 

6  Now  when  they  had  gone  throughout  Phrygiaand 


Gal.  2  :  3-8  ;  6  :  1-3 f  1  Cor.  9  :  20 g  ch.  16  :  28,  29 h  ch.  15  :  41. 


his  father  ;  it  has  been  surmised  that  the  father 
was  dead.  Observe  the  indication  that  Paul 
made  careful  inquiries  before  taking  Timothy  as 
a  companion ;  he  acts  upon  the  counsel  which  he 
subsequently  gave  to  him,  Lay  hands  suddenly 
on  no  man  (i  Tim.  s :  22). 

3.  And  took  and  circumcised  him.  This 
action  seems  to  some  critics  inconsistent  with 
Paul's  refusal  to  circumcise  Titus  (g.ii.  2 : 3),  his 
condemnation  of  Peter  for  refusing  fellowship 
with  the  Gentiles  (oai.  2 :  12-14),  and  his  subse- 
quent condemnation  of  those  who  demanded 
circumcision  of  the  Galatian  Christians  (cai.  s :  2). 
These  critics,  however,  fail  to  notice  the  fact  that 
Timothy  was  by  his  mother's  side  a  Jew ;  that 
Paul  was  going,  not  to  visit  Christian  churches, 
but  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  new  regions  ;  that  it 
was  always  his  custom  to  preach  first  to  the 
Jews,  and  in  the  synagogue  when  there  was  one 
in  the  place,  and  that  to  have  taken  with  him  an 
uncircumcised  Jew  would  not  have  helped  but 
must  only  have  hindered  him.  He  acted  here 
upon  the  principle  enunciated  to  the  Corinthians 
m  1  Cor.  9  :  20,  21.  That  neither  he  nor  Tim- 
othy nor  the  Christian  churches  in  that  region 
perceived  any  inconsistency  between  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Timothy  and  the  resolution  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  is  indicated  by  the  next 
verse.  After  Timothy's  circumcision  he  was 
specially  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands  (see  chaps.  6:6;  8  :  17,  notes) 
by  Paul  and  the  elders  (1  Tim.  4 :  14 ;  2  Tim.  1 :  e),  with 
which  possibly  was  combined  the  good  profes- 
sion before  many  witnesses  referred  to  in  1  Tim. 
6:13. 

4,  5.  As  they  Avent  through  the  cities. 
Not  merely  of  Cilicia,  the  whole  revisitation  of 
the  Christian  churches  established  by  Paul  and 
Barnabas  (ver.  se)  is  referred  to. — They  deliv- 
ered them  the  resolutions  for  to  keep,  that 
were  determined  by  the  apostles  and  eld- 
ers in  Jerusalem.  The  language  of  this  verse 
in  our  English  version  indicates  an  authoritative 
decree  by  the  meeting  at  Jerusalem  binding  on 
all  the  churches ;  but  it  is  at  least  doubtful 
whether  this  meaning  is  sustained  by  the  origi- 
nal. The  word  rendered  decrees  (doy/^ct)  in  clas- 
sical Greek  signifies,  first  an  opinion,  then  a 
public  resolution,  finally  an  authoritative  gov- 
ernmental decree,  in  which  sense  it  is  ordinarily 
used  m  the  N.  T.  (Luke  2 ;  1 ;  Acts  n  :  7).  Nothing 
more,  however,  is  necessarily  indicated  here 
than  that  Paul  and  Silas  reported  to  the  Christian 


churches  the  judgment  or  opinion  of  the  church 
at  Jerusalem  as  embodied  in  their  public  reso- 
lution, to  which,  confirmed  as  it  was  by  the 
unanimous  agreement  of  the  life-companions  of 
their  Lord,  Gentile  Christians  would  naturally 
yield  a  ready  compliance.  That  it  was  not  re- 
garded by  Paul  as  a  law  of  permanent  obliga- 
tion is  evident  from  his  language  subsequently 

to   the   Corinthians    (1  Cor.  ch.  8.    Comp.  Rom.  14  :  14). — 

Therefore  were  the  churches  established 
in  the  faith.  Therefore,  both  because  peace 
was  secured  between  the  Jewish  and  GentUe 
converts,  and  also  because  both  were  taught  to 
rest  their  hope,  not  upon  rites  and  ceremonies, 
the  righteousness  that  is  of  the  law,  but  upon 
the  mercy  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  And 
increased  in  number  daily.  Not  the  num- 
ber of  churches,  but  the  number  of  Christians 
in  the  churches  increased. 

6-8.  For  the  course  of  Paul's  journey  so  brief- 
ly indicated  in  these  verses,  see  map,  p.  19.  The 
route  there  marked  is  wholly  hypothetical  in  its 
details;  we  only  know  that  he  preached  the 
Gospel  in  the  provinces  of  Phrygia  and  Galatia, 
then  passing  through  the  provinces  of  Asia  and 
Mysia  on  the  iEgean  Sea,  crossed  over  into  Eu- 
rope, landing  at  Neapolis,  the  seaport  of  Phi- 
lippi,  in  Macedonia,  Apparently  Paul  would  hav« 
confined  his  ministry  mainly  to  the  Jews  and 
Jewish  proselytes ;  but  he  was  compelled  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  to  leave  Asia  Minor  and  carry  the 
Gospel  over  into  Greece  proper,  the  heart  of  the 
heathen  world  ;  even  here  he  does  not  straight- 
way preach  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  ;  at  Phi- 
lippi  he  is  driven  from  his  comparative  retire- 
ment with  the  few  Jewish  women  at  the  river- 
side, by  the  providence  of  God  ;  in  Thessalonlca 
and  Berea  he  preaches  only  to  the  Jews  (ch.  n :  1-10); 
in  Athens  chiefly  to  the  Jews  and  proselytes,  until 
invited  by  the  Gentiles  to  Areopagus  (ch.  n :  n-19) ; 
and  in  Corinth  he  remains  a  considerable  time 
in  "weakness,  and  in  fear,  and  in  much  trem- 
bling" (1  Cor.  2 : 3)  before  he  turns  from  the  Jews 
to  preach  to  the  Greeks  (ch.  is :  e). 

Phrygia.  This  was  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant provinces  of  Asia  Minor.  The  Phrygians 
are  believed  to  be  descendants  from  the  Armen- 
ians ;  their  legends  contain  an  account  of  the 
flood.  The  Trojans,  Mysians,  and  other  popula- 
tions of  ancient  Greece  seem  to  be  branches  of 
this  race.  They  were  of  a  peaceful  disposition ; 
agriculture  was  their  chief  occupation ;  their 
country  was  rich  in  various  products,  especially 


174 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVI. 


the  region  of  Galatia    and  were  forbidden  of'  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  preach  the  word  in"  Asia, 

7  After  they  were  come  to  Mysia,  they  assayed  to  go 
into  Bithynia :  but  the  Spirit  suffered  them  not. 


8  And  they  passing  by  Mysia,  came  down  to '  Troas. 

9  And  a  vision  appeared  to  Paul  in  the  night ;  There 
stood  a  man™  of  Macedonia,  and  prayed  him,  saying, 
Come  over  into  Macedonia,  and  help  us. 


1  Gal.  1  :  2  ;  1  Pet.  1:1 j  Amos  8  :  11,  12;  1  Cor.  12  :  11 k  Rev.  1  :  4,  11 12  Cor.  2  :  12  ;  2  Tim.  4  :  13  . . 


metals,  marble,  wine  and  sheep ;  their  religion, 
a  modified  form  of  the  Greek  mythology,  ap- 
pears to  have  combined,  in  the  worship,  with 
the  Greek  rites,  some  of  the  peculiarly  impure 
ceremonies  of  the  Syro-Phoenician  tribes.  At 
the  time  of  Paul's  visit  Phrygia  was  not  a  dis- 
tinct Roman  province.  The  term  as  used  here 
indicates  rather  a  race  of  people  than  a  geo- 
graphical or  political  division  of  country.  We 
cannot  therefore  define  its  boundaries  more  ac- 
curately than  by  saying  that  with  Galatia  it  occu- 
pied the  great  central  space  of  Asia  Minor. — 
The  region  of  Galatia.  This  region  was  in- 
habited by  the  descendants  of  the  Gauls,  who 
invaded  Greece  and  Asia  in  the  third  century 
B.  c,  and  finally  settled  and  became  mixed  with 
the  Greek  population.  The  Galatians  were  a 
brave,  freedom-loving,  enthusiastic,  but  fickle 
people,  the  Frenchmen  of  Asia  Minor.  On  the 
history  of  this  province  and  the  character  of  its 
people,  see  Intro,  to  and  notes  on  Epistle  to  the 


Galatians.  During  this  visit  Christian  churches 
were  established  both  in  Phrygia  and  Galatia 
(ch.  18 :  23).  Somc  details  of  Paul's  experience  in 
Galatia,  particularly  the  enthusiastic  reception 
accorded  to  him,  are  indicated  in  Gal.  4  :  13-15. 
— Were  forbidden  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
preach  the  word  in  Asia.  How  forbidden, 
whether  by  some  special  providence,  or  by  the 
direct  communication  of  the  Spirit,  is  not  indi- 
cated. Asia  is  of  course  not  the  continent  of 
that  name,  nor  Asia  Minor,  but  a  Roman  sena- 
torial province  bordering  the  -^gean  Sea.  In 
the  N.  T.  the  phrase  is  always  thus  used  to  des- 
ignate this  particular  province.  Why  Paul  was 
forbidden  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  Asia  and  sub- 
sequently in  Mysia  and  Bithynia  can  be  only 
matter  of  surmise.  I  believe  it  was  because  God 
willed  that  he  should  carry  the  Gospel  into  the 
heart  of  heathendom.     See  note  on  vers.  6-8. 

Mysia.    A  province,  sometimes  regatded  as 
included  in  Asia.     Like  Phrygia,   the  term  is 


TROAS   FROM    TENEDOS. 


used  to  designate  a  people  rather  than  a  po- 
litical division. — They  essayed  to  go  into 
Bithynia.  That  is,  prevented  from  preaching 
in  Asia  and  Mysia,  they  attempted  to  go  north- 
ward into  the  province  of  Bithynia.  This  pro- 
vince borders  on  the  Euxine  or  Black  Sea,  embrac- 
ing the  northernmost  portion  of  Asia  Minor,  and 
extending  from  the  Black  Sea  on  the  East  to  the 


Bosphorus  on  the  West.  Bithynia  and  Mysia 
are  menCioned  in  the  N.  T.  only  here.— They 
passing  by  Mysia  came  down   to  Troas. 

That  is,  as  Alford,  passing  it  by  as  regards  the 
work  of  their  preaching.  They  must  have  passed 
through  Mysia  to  reach  Troas,  where  they  em- 
barked for  Macedonia.  Troas  is  the  ancient 
Troy,  rendered  famous  by  Homer,  though  the 


Ch.  XVL] 


THE  ACTS. 


175 


lo  And  after  he  had  seen  the  vision,  immediately  we 
endeavoured  to  go  "  into  Macedonia,  assuredly  gather- 
ing that  the  Lord  had  called  us  for  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel unto  them. 


11  Therefore  loosing  from  Troas,  we  came  with  a 
straight  course  to  Samothracia,  and  the  next  day  to 
Neapolis ; 

12  And  from  thence  to  Philippi,"  which  is  the  chief 


n  2  Cor.  2  :  13  . 


exact  site  of  the  ancient  city  is  probably  several 
miles  inland.  The  Troas  here  intended  is  either  a 
seaport  town,  Alexandria  Troas,  named  in  honor 
of  Alexander,  or  the  district  in  its  immediate 
vicinity.  The  town  was  a  free  city  (see  ver.  12, 
note)  and  was  not  reckoned  as  belonging  to  either 
Asia  or  Bithynia ;  the  district  was  an  undulating 
plain  extending  about  eight  geographical  miles 
inland.  The  accompanying  illustration  repre- 
sents the  plain  of  Troy  as  seen  from  the  neigh- 
boring island  of  Tenedos,  with  Mt.  Ida  in  the 
distance. 

9.  A  vision  appeared  to  Paul.  On  the 
nature  of  visions,  see  ch.  9  :  10,  11.  The  apostle 
having  been  led  by  the  spirit  of  God  to  the  sea- 
shore, and  prohibited  from  further  missionary 
labors  in  Asia  Minor,  the  Spirit  now  directly  indi- 
cates to  him  the  will  of  God,  that  he  shall  pass 
over  from  Asia  Minor  into  Europe. — A  man  of 
Macedonia.  Something  in  the  attire  or  ap- 
pearance of  the  visitant,  or  possibly  his  lan- 
guage, Come  over  into  Macedonia,  indicated  the 
appeal  as  coming  from  that  district.  This  vision 
has  been  rightly  recognized  by  the  church  as 
interpreting  the  unuttered  cry  of  heathendom  for 
help.  The  annexed  illustrations,  showing  the 
diiference  in  dress  and  appearance  between  the 
Arab  and  the  Greek,  will  indicate  better  than  a 
description  will  do,  that  this  Macedonian  might 
have  been  recognized  by  his  appearance  ;  the 
dialect  also  was  peculiar. 


Into  Macedonia.  This  was  an  important 
kingdom  of  ancient  Greece,  and  subsequently  a 
Roman  province.  At  the  accession  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  the  kingdom  was  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Moesia  and  Ulyricum,  on  the  south  by 


Thessaly  and  Epirus,  and  on  the  east  and  west 
respectively,  by  Thrace  and  the  ^gean  Sea,  and 
by  Epirus  and  the  Adriatic.  The  country  may 
be  described  as  an  undulating  plain,  into  which 
run  the  spurs  of  several  ridges  of  mountains, 
and  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  the  mountains 
themselves.  Among  the  most  distinguished  of 
these  are  Athos  and  Olympus.  Its  ancient  capi- 
tal was  PeUa,  the  birth-place  of  Alexander ;  other 
important  cities  were  Philippi,  Thessalonica, 
Amphipolis,  ApoUonia,  and  Berea.  The  soU  is 
fertile,  and  the  climate  healthy  and  temperate, 
though  considered  more  severe  than  that  of  the 
more  southerly  parts  of  Greece.  The  ancient 
Macedonians  were  a  hardy  and  warlike  people, 
and  their  military  system  was  considered  very 
perfect.  The  civilization  of  Athens  reached 
them  but  slowly,  and  they  never,  even  under 
Alexander,  attained  to  an  equality  with  the  more 
favored  parts  of  Greece.  To  the  Biblical  student 
Macedonia  is  interesting  chiefly  as  the  site  of 
Paul's  successful  labors.  The  churches  at  Thes- 
salonica and  Philippi  w^re  among  the  results  of 
his  missionary  labors  there ;  and,  from  Paul's 
references  to  them  in  subsequent  epistles,  we  are 
assured  that  the  Gospel  found  a  readier  entrance 
and  a  warmer  welcome  among  the  hardy  Mace- 
donians than  among  the  more  cultured  Atheni- 
ans, and  was  more  generously  supported  and 
carried  out  in  subsequent  contributions  than 
among  the  wealthier  Corinthians.  Comp.  Acts 
17  :  10-12  with  16,  32 ;  1  Thess.  1  :  5  with  1  Cor. 
3:1;  and  Rom.  15  :  2(5 ;  PhU.  4  :  10,  15,  with 
1  Cor.  9  :  7-14 ;  16  :  1 ;  2  Cor.,  ch.  9. 

10.  After  he  had  seen  the  vision,  we 
endeavored  to  go.  By  seeking  for  a  ship  in 
which  to  cross  the  -(Egean  Sea.  It  is  notable 
that  now,  for  the  first  time  in  his  account,  Luke 
employs  the  first  person  :  we  endeavored  to  go. 
Whether  Luke  was  with  Paul  prior  to  this  time 
is  uncertain  ;  it  is  reasonably  certain  that  he  was 
Paul's  traveling  companion  in  most  of  the  events 
hereinafter  narrated.  See  Intro.,  p.  14.  It  has 
been  conjectured,  and  the  surmise  is  not  unrea- 
sonable, that  he  joined  the  apostle  at  Troas  as  a 
physician,  on  account  of  Paul's  broken  health. 

11.  We  came  with  a  straight  course.  That 
is,  with  a  fair  wind.  The  journey  took  but  two 
days.  When  subsequently  going  in  the  oppo- 
site direction,  the  voyage  occupied  five  days  (ch. 
20  :  6).  It  is  only  a  strong  southerly  breeze 
which  will  overcome  the  current  which  runs 
from  the  Dardanelles  by  Tenedos,  and  this,  com- 
bined with  the  short  passage,  is  one  of  the  many 


176 


city  of  that  part  of  Macedonia,  and  a  colony :  and  we 
were  in  that  city  abiding  certain  days. 
13  And  on  the  sabbath  we  went  out  of  the  city  by  a 


THE  ACTS.  [Ch.  XVI. 

river  side,  where  prayer p  was  wont  to  be  made;  and 
we  sat  down,  and  spake  unto  the  women  which  resort- 
ed thither . 


p  ch.  21  :  5. 


marks  of  the  veracity  of  our  narrative.  —  To 
Samothracia.  An  island  in  the  ^gean  Sea, 
38  miles  from  the  coast  of  Thrace,  and  about 
midway  between  Troas  and  Neapolis.  It  is  of  an 
oval  shape,  8  miles  long,  6  broad,  and  remark- 


SJcepastoF^ 


MAP  OP    SAMOTHRACIA.      (From  Lewin,  Vol.  I,  p.  200.) 


able  for  its  extreme  elevation,  rising  5,240  feet 
above  the  elevation  of  the  sea.  It  is  without 
good  harbors,  but  affords  safe  anchorage.  If, 
as  was  apparently  the  case,  the  wind  was  from 
the  south,  theie  would  have  been  smooth  water 
anywhere  along  the  north  shore.  The  implica- 
tion is  that  the  ship  spent  the  night  at  anchor, 
proceeding  the  next  day  on  its  course. — Ne- 
apolis. The  name  is  the  same  as  Naples, 
and  means  New  City ;  this  was  the  seaport  of 
Philippi,  from  which  it  was  10  miles  distant. 
Immediately  back  of  the  town  the  land  rises  to  a 
considerable  height,  on  the  other  side  of  which  is 
the  plain  of  Philippi.  Traces  of  paved  military 
roads  are  still  found,  as  well  as  the  remains  of  a 
great  aqueduct  on  two  tiers  of  arches  with  Latin 
inscriptions.  Over  one  of  these  roads  Paul  must 
have  passed  to  his  destination,  led  by  the  voice 
of  the  mysterious  vision  to  he  knew  not  what 
dangers  and  perils. 

12.  To  Philippi.  A  city  of  Macedonia 
which  took  its  name  from  its  founder,  Philip,  the 
father  of  Alexander.  The  new  city,  built  by  the 
Romans,  appears  not  to  have  been  on  the  site  of 
the  old,  but  in  its  immediate  proximity.  The 
ancient  name  is  still  applied  to  the  locality,  but 
there  are  no  inhabitants.  The  line  of  the  walls 
may  be  traced,  and  there  are  two  lofty  gateways 
amidst  the  fragments  that  are  left.  There  are 
also  the  remains  of  an  amphitheatre  on  the  sides 


of  the  overhanging  hill,  the  seats  of  which  are 
quite  perfect.  So  far  as  the  N.  T.  history  directly 
informs  us,  Philippi  was  the  first  city  in  Europe 
which  heard  the  Gospel  message.  How  min- 
ute the  seed,  a  conversational  service  with  a 
few  women  outside  the  gates 
of  Philippi !  how  great  the 
tree,  European  Christendom ! 
Comp.  Matt.  18  :  31,  32.  On 
the  character  and  subsequent 
history  of  the  church  founded 
at  this  time  by  Paul,  see  Epis- 
tle to  the  Philippians,  Notes 
and  Intro. — The  chief  city 
of  that  part  of  Macedo- 
nia. Either  one  of  the  principal 
cities  of  the  p)i'ovince,  a  state- 
ment which  would  be  true  of 
Philippi ;  or  the  first  city  of 
Macedonia,  i.  e.,  the  first  one  to 
which  Paul  came  after  land- 
ing. Either  interpretation  is 
admissible  ;  Paul's  visit  to  Ne. 
apolis  is  not  inconsistent  with 
the  latter  rendering,  both  because  Neapolis,  strict- 
ly speaking,  belonged  to  Thrace,  and  also  because 
it  was  only  the  seaport  of  Philippi  and  in  the  na- 
ture of  a  suburb. — And  a  colony.  This  word  oc- 
curs only  here  in  the  N.  T.  With  this  characteri- 
zation of  the  city,  agrees  Luke's  reference  to  the 
magistrates  {atQaTtjyog,  vers.  20,  22,  35,  36,  38)  and 
sergeants  (^iu/^JoiJ/oc,  vers.  35,  38).  The  fact  that 
Philippi  was  a  colony  is  mentioned  here  in  expla- 
nation of  the  events  which  followed.  The  phrase 
is  a  technical  one,  applied  in  Roman  literature  to 
certain  communities  possessed  of  peculiar  privi- 
leges. No  colony  was  established  without  spe- 
cial authority  from  the  parent  government  at 
Rome,  and  no  Roman  could  be  sent  out  as  a  col- 
onist without  his  free  consent.  When  the  place 
of  destination  had  been  selected,  the  law  passed 
and  the  volunteers  organized,  they  v/ere  sent 
to  their  destination  in  the  form  of  an  army  ;  the 
limits  of  the  city,  which  was  always  an  essential 
part  of  a  Roman  colony,  were  marked  out  by  a 
plow ;  religious  ceremonies  accompanied ;  and 
the  anniversary  was  ever  afterward  sacredly 
observed.  The  city  thus  founded  was  a  minia- 
ture of  Rome  ;  its  members  had  all  the  rights  of 
Roman  citizens ;  the  Latin  language  was  spoken 
and  the  Roman  law  administered;  the  coinage 
had  Latin  inscriptions.  The  government  of  the 
city  was  administered  by  magistrates,  Duum- 
viri, who  frequently  took  the  name  of  prceton 


Ch.  XVI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


177 


14  And  a  certain  woman  named  Lydia,  a  seller  of 

Curple,  ot  the  city  of  Thyatira,  which  worshipped  God, 
eard  us  :  whose  heart  1  the  Lord  opened,  that  she  at- 
tended unto  the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul. 

15  And  when  she  was  baptized,  and  her  household, 
she  besought  "^  kj,  saying,  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be 


faithfiil  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house,  and  abide 
there.    And  she  constrained  us. 

16  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  we  went  to  prayer,  a  cer- 
tain damsel  possessed"  with  a  spirit  of  divination  met 
us,  which  brought  her  masters  much  gain '  by  sooth- 
saying : 


q  Luke  34  :  45 r  Heb.  13  : 


.  B  1  Sam.  28  :  7 t  ch.  19  :  24. 


L 


(ffr^arij/o'c),  and  who  exercised  functions  in  the 
colony  analogous  to  that  of  the  consul  at  Rome 
in  the  days  of  the  republic.  Attendant  upon 
them  were  the  lictors,  the  sergeants  of  vers.  35, 
38,  who  were  charged  with  inflicting  punishment 
upon  those  who  were  condemned  by  the  magis- 
trates or  Duumviri.  PhiJippi,  though  origi- 
nally founded  by  the  Greeks,  was  subsequently 
made  a  colony  by  Augustus.  The  evidences  that 
Philippi  was  such  a  colony  appear  in  Latin 
inscriptions  still  found  among  the  ruins. — Abid- 
ing certain  days.  Perhaps  some  days  pre- 
vious to  the  Sabbath  mentioned  in  the  next 
verse. 

13.  On  the  Sabbath  we  went  out  of  the 
gates  by  a  river  side.  "After  about  twenty 
minutes'  ride  from  the  Khan,  over  ground  thickly 
strewed  with  fragments  of  marble  columns  and 
slabs  that  have  been  employed  in  building,  a 
river-bed  66  feet  wide  is  crossed,  through  which 
the  stream  rushes  with  great  force,  and  immedi- 
ately on  the  other  side  the  walls  of  the  ancient 
Philippi  may  be  traced.  Their  direction  is  ad- 
justed to  the  course  of  the  stream  ;  and  at  only 
350  feet  from  its  margin  there  appears  a  gap  in 
their  circuit  indicating  the  former  existence  of 
a  gate.  This  is,  no  doubt,  the  gate  out  of  which 
the  apostle  and  his  companion  passed  to  the 
'prayer-meeting '  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  where 
they  made  the  acquaiatance  of  Lydia,  the  Thya- 
tiran  seller  of  purple.  The  locality,  just  outside 
the  walls,  and  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  water 
for  their  animals,  is  exactly  the  one  which  would 
be  appropriated  as  a  market  for  itinerant  trad- 
ers."— {Smith's  Bib.  Bid.)  It  would  also  be  an 
appropriate  place  for  the  religious  meetings  of 
the  Jews,  who  were  accustomed,  when  practi- 
cable, to  hold  their  religious  services  near  the 
water,  probably  on  account  of  the  frequent  ablu- 
tions customary  among  them,  the  obligation  of 
which  would  be  especially  urgent  upon  those  liv- 
ing among  the  heathen.  The  river  was  the  Gan- 
gites  or  Gangas.  The  best  readings  give  here  as 
I  have,  out  of  the  gates,  not  out  of  the  city,  as  in 
our  English  version.  —  Where  prayer  Avas 
wont  to  be  made.  There  appears  to  have 
been  no  synagogue  at  Philippi  (comp.  ch.  17 : 1) ;  per- 
haps here  was  one  of  those  buUdings  called 
proseuchce,  which  were  distinguished  from  the 
synagogues  by  being  slighter  in  structure,  and 
sometimes  simple  enclosures  open  to  the  sky ; 
or  it  may  be,   as   our   English  version  would 


indicate,  that  a  mere  spot  by  the  river  bank  had 
been  selected  for  open-air  meetings,  which  ap- 
pear to  have  been  attended  only  or  chiefly  by 
women. 

Ch.  16 :  14-40.    PAUL  AT  PHILIPPL    The  TRtTE  and 
THE  piCTiTioTJS  Saviour  rNf  cokflict. — The  spirit  of 

COVETOUSNESS  THE  SECRET  OP  MUCH  OP  RELIGIOUS 
PERSECUTION. — GRACE  TO  THE  OPPRESSED  IS  TROUBLB 
TO  THE  OPPRESSOR. — SONGS  IN  THE  NIGHT. — CONVER- 
SION ILLUSTRATED. — ThE  DIGNITY  OP  TECE  TRUE  CHRIS- 
TIAN.— The  seed  op  sorrow  brings  forth  the  fruits 
OP  LOVE  AND  JOT.    Sec  Epis.  to  Phil. 

14.    A  certain  woman    named    Lydia. 

That  she  was  a  Jewish  proselyte  is  indicated  by 
the  language,  which  worshipjied  God  ;  ver.  15  indi- 
cates that  she  had  her  residence  in  or  near  Phi- 
lippi; she  is  not  mentioned  again  in  the  N.  T., 
but  may  well  have  been  one  of  those  women 
which  labored  with  Paul  in  the  Gospel,  and 
referred  to  in  Phil.  4  :  3. — A  seller  of  purple. 
Either  the  dye  stuff,  or  robes  dyed  with  purple  ; 
these  were  not  only  worn  by  kings  and  other  offi- 
cials, but  also  by  the  wealthy  and  luxurious  (jer. 

10  :  9  ;  Ez.  27  :  7  ;  Luke  16  :  19  ;  Rev.  17:4;  18  :  16).     Dyeing  iS 

still  a  customary  trade  in  the  East ;  the  d3-er'8 
shop,  a  room  not  more  than  10  or  12  feet  square, 


THE   dyer's  shop. 

is  usually  placed  directly  on  the  street  among 
others  of  the  same  trade ;  the  cloths,  after  dip- 
ping in  the  vats,  are  hung  outside  to  dry,  the 
passers  in  the  street  avoiding  them  if  they  can. 


178 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVL 


It  is  not  improbable  that  Lydia  was  carrying  on 
the  dyeing  trade  and  had  her  shop  just  outside 
the  city  gates.— Of  the  city  of  Thyatira.    A 

considerable  city  of  the  province  of  Asia  where 
Paul  had  been  prevented  from  preaching  the 
Gospel ;  "  thus,  although  forbidden  to  preach 
the  Gospel  in  Asia,  their  first  convert  at  Philippi 
is  an  Asiatic."  — (4Z/brcZ.)  Here  a  Christian 
church  was  subsequently  established  (Rev.  i :  n). 
It  is  called  by  Strabo  a  Macedonian  colony,  and 
although  it  seems  clear  that  it  existed  prior  to 
the  Macedonian  empire,  it  may  have  been  greatly 
increased  by  colonists  from  Macedonia.  In  the 
middle  ages  the  Turks  changed  the  name  to  Ak- 
hissar,  which  it  still  bears.  Among  the  guilds 
which  existed  in  this  city  dyers  are  especially 
mentioned  in  the  ancient  inscriptions,  and  dyeing 
seems  to  have  flourished  here  from  a  very  early 
period.    Thus  Homer  (Book  4 :  i4i) : 

"As  when  some  Carian  or  Maeonian  dame 
Tinges  with  purple  the  white  ivory, 
To  form  a  trapping  for  the  cheeks  of  steeds." 

The  fact  that  Lydia  is  described  as  of  the  city  of 
Thyatira  does  not  indicate  that  Philippi  was  not 
at  this  time  her  permanent  residence.  Similarly 
Paul  speaks  of  himself  as  a  Jew  of  Tarsus  in 
ch.  31  :  39 ;  22  :  3.  —  Whose  heart  the  Lord 
opened.  Observe  the  incidental  recognition 
here  of  the  truth  that  the  word  of  God  is  effica- 
cious only  as  it  is  blessed  by  the  Spirit  of  God 

(l  Cor.  7  :  6 ;  2  Cor.  4  :  6.      Comp.  Matt.  13  ;  16).      "The  heart 

is  of  itself  closed  ;  but  it  is  for  God  to  open  it." 
— {Bengel.) 

15.  And  when  she  was  baptized  and  her 
house.  This  text  is  often  quoted  in  support  of 
the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism  ;  thus  Mr.  Barnes : 
"No  mention  is  made  of  their  having  believed, 
and  the  case  is  one  that  affords  a  strong  presump- 
tive proof  that  this  was  an  instance  of  household 
or  infant  baptism."  Si"iilarly  Bengel:  "Who 
can  believe  that  in  so  many  families  there  was  no 
infant?  And  that  the  Jews,  who  were  wont  to 
circumcise,  and  the  Gentiles,  who  purified  them 
by  washings,  did  not  also  present  them  for  bap- 
tism." To  me  it  appears  very  clear  that  there  is 
no  authority  for  the  practice  of  infant  baptism  in 
such  incidental  historical  references  such  as  this  ; 
for  (1)  infant  and  houftehold  baptism  are  not  the 
same ;  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  there 
were  any  infant  children  in  this  household,  or 
that  Lydia  was  a  married  woman.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  hardly  credible  that  there  should  have 
been  no  adults,  and  it  will  hardly  be  argued,  that 
because  their  faith  is  not  stated,  they  were  bap- 
tized upon  the  faith  of  Lydia ;  (3)  assuming  that 
there  were  infants  in  the  household  in  this  and 
analogous  cases  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.,  it  does 
not  follow  that  they  were  baptized.  If  it  was 
not  the  usage  in  the  primitive  church  to  baptize 
infants,  but  only  adults,  and  upon  a  personal 


confession  of  faith,  the  historian  would  assume, 
and  the  reader  would  understand,  that  only 
those  capable  of  making  an  intelhgent  confes- 
sion of  faith  were  included  in  the  baptism.  Thus, 
if  a  modern  writer  were  to  use  the  phraseology, 
"  Mr.  A.  and  his  famUy  have  been  baptized  and 
joined  the  Baptist  church,"  it  would  be  assumed 
by  both  writer  and  reader  that  only  those  capa- 
ble of  making  an  intelligent  confession  of  faith 
were  included.  The  whole  question  of  infant 
baptism  must  be  determined,  not  by  doubtful 
deductions  from  incidental  references  to  the 
baptism  of  households,  but  by  the  view  which 
the  Bible  student  takes  of  the  nature  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  whether  an  organization  of 
households  or  of  individuals,  and  by  his  view  of 
the  covenant  of  God  with  his  people,  whether 
that  covenant  is  entered  into  for  each  soul  alone, 
or  with  Christian  parents  for  their  children. 
What  may  fairly  be  deduced  from  the  language 
of  this  verse  is  this :  that  by  reason  of  Lydia's 
faith  her  household  were  brought  unto  Christ 
and  his  church.  The  first  field  for  the  ministry 
of  the  young  convert  is  his  home. 

If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  unto 
the  LiOrd.  Not  merely  an  earnest,  but  also  a 
modest  petition.  She  asks  as  a  favor  the  privi- 
lege of  conferring  her  hospitality.  Comp.  the 
story  of  the  woman  of  Shunem,  2  Kings  4  :  8-10. 
See  also  Heb.  13  :  2.— She  constrained  us. 
By  much  entreaty.  So  in  Luke  24  :  29,  the  disci- 
ples constrained  Christ  to  accept  their  hospi- 
tality. 

16.  As  we  went  to  prayer.  Rather  to  the 
place  of  prayer  referred  to  in  ver.  13.  See  note 
there. — Possessed  with  a  spirit  of  divina- 
tion. Literally,  of  Python.  This  was  originally 
the  name  of  a  mythological  dragon  who  guarded 
the  Delphic  oracle ;  Apollo  having  slain  the  mon- 
ster, took  possession  of  the  oracle,  hence  to  him 
was  sometimes  given  the  name  of  Python.  He 
was  the  god  of  prophecy,  punished  and  de- 
stroyed the  wicked,  and  had  the  power  of  ward- 
ing oflf  evd,  or  at  least  of  suggesting  by  his  ora- 
cles the  means  by  which  it  could  be  averted. 
According  to  Miiller,  the  essential  feature  in  the 
character  of  Apollo  is  that  of  the  averter  of  evil ; 
and  the  title  of  Saviour  is  one  given  to  him  by 
Greek  writers.  Thus,  this  damsel  was,  as  it  were, 
an  apostle  of  the  heathen  Saviour,  a  fact  which 
gives  especial  significance  to  her  testimony  to 
Paul  and  his  companions,  as  those  who  show  the 
"way  of  salvation."— Brought  her  masters 
much  gain  by  soothsaying.  It  was  a  cus- 
tomary belief  among  the  ancients  that  certain 
persons  were  possessed  by  the  spirits  of  the 
gods;  Apollo  was  generally  the  source  from 
which  the  heathen  diviners  and  seers  professed 
to  obtam  their  knowledge  of  the  future.  These 
heathen  prophets  were  not  only  tolerated,  but 


Ch.  XVI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


179 


17  The  same  followed  Paul  and  us,  and  cried,  say- 
ing, These  men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high  "  God, 
which  shew  unto  us  the  way  of"  salvation. 

18  And  this  did  she  many  days.  But  Paul,  being 
grieved,  turned  and  said  "to  the  spirit,  I  command  thee 


in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  come  out  of  her.    And  * 
he  came  out  the  same  hour. 

19  And  when  her  masters  saw  that  the  hope  of  their 
gainst  was  gone,  they  caught  Paul  and  Silas,  and  drew 
them,  into  the  marketplace,  unto^  the  rulers, 


n  Gen.  14:  18-22 v  ch.  18:  26;  Heb.  10:  20..  ..w  Mark  1  :  25,  34 x  Mark  16  :  17 y  ch.  19  :  24-27 z  Matt.  10:  18. 


protected  and  honored  by  the  government,  were 
consulted  by  leading  men,  and  were  honored 
counsellors  in  the  public  assemblies.  Besides 
these  more  respectable  prophets,  there  were 
numbers  of  diviners  of  an  inferior  order,  who 
professed  to  explain  signs  and  tell  fortunes,  and 
were  popular  with  the  lower  classes  of  society ; 
they  were  not  infrequently  slaves,  as  in  the  case 
of  this  woman,  who  was  owned  apparently  by 
two  or  three  masters  in  common.  Whether  she 
was  literally  possessed  by  an  evil  spirit,  or 
was  simply  a  lunatic,  whose  maniacal  utter- 
ances were  turned  to  profitable  account  by  her 
unscrupulous  masters,  who  professed  to  inter- 
pret them  as  prophecies,  is  a  question  difficult 
to  determine.  Alford,  Alexander,  and  Cony- 
beare  and  Howson,  hold  the  former  view  ;  Lewin, 
Meyer,  and,  apparently,  Hackett,  hold  the  latter 


view.  That  there  is  no  demon  or  evil  spirit  cor- 
responding to  ApoUo  or  Python  is  clear  from 
1  Cor.  8:4;  that  demoniacal  possession  is  a 
real  phenomenon,  see  note  on  Demoniacal  Posses- 
sion, Vol.  I,  p.  123.  It  seems  to  me  both  from 
Paul's  language  and  from  Luke's,  in  ver.  18,  that 
this  was  a  case  of  such  possession,  and  that  the 
act  of  Paul  did  not  merely  expose  a  fraud,  nor 
calm  the  perturbed  mind  of  a  lunatic,  but  really 
delivered  this  unfortunate  from  the  evil  spirit 
which  possessed  her. 

17, 18.  The  same  followed  Paul  and  us 
and  cried  saying,  etc.  This  may  have  been 
a  supernatural  recognition  of  the  power  of  God 
in  the  apostles ;  see  the  analogous  cases  in  Matt. 
8  :  29  ;  Mark  3  :  11 ;  Luke  4  :  41 ;  8  :  28 ;  and  this 
is  the  view  of  most  commentators ;  or  it  may 
have  been  a  cry  of  sarcasm  and  derision,  the 


RUINS  IN  THE  MAKKET-PLAOE  OF   PHILIPPI. 


possessed  following  Paul  with  this  outcry,  some- 
what as  a  crowd  of  boys  might  do ;  and  this  I 
am  inclined  to  think  more  probable,  since  other- 
wise her  masters  would  have  interfered  to  pre- 
vent her  testimony. — The  way  of  salvation. 


Or,  the  way  of  safety ;  in  this  more  general  sense 
the  words  would  be  understood  by  the  heathen 
population. — But  Paul  being  grieved.  Rather 
being  indignant,  literally  exercised.  See  ch.  4  :  2, 
note,  where  the  Greek  word  is  the  same.    "  Not 


180 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVL 


20  And  brought  them  to  the  magistrates,  saying, 
These  men,  being  Jews,  do  exceedingly  trouble  "  our 
city, 

21  And  teach  customs,  which  are  not  lawful  for  us  to 
receive,  neither  to  observe,  being  Romans. 


22  And  the  multitude  rose  up  together  against  them: 
and  the  magistrates  rent  off  their  cloches,  and  com- 
manded to  beat  them. 

23  And  when  they  had  laid  many  i*  stripes  upon 
them,  they  cast  them  into  prison,  charging  the  jailer  to 
keep  them  safely : 


a  ch.  17  :  6  ;  I  Kings  18  :  17 b  2  Cor.  6:6;  11  :  23,  25 ;  1  Thess.  2  :  2. 


mere  annoyance  is  expressed  by  this  word,  but 
rather  holy  indignation  and  sorrow  at  what  he 
Baw  and  heard ;  the  Christian  soldier  was  goaded 
to  the  attack,  but  the  mere  satisfaction  of  anger 
was  not  the  object,  any  more  than  the  result,  of 
the  stroke." — (^Alford.)  Why  Paul  allowed  the 
evil  spirit  to  go  on  unrebuked  for  many  days  it  is 
difficult  to  say,  vmless  it  be  an  indication  of  hesi- 
tation, if  not  timidity,  of  which  other  indications 
are  afforded  by  his  course,  in  preaching  only  to 
the  proselytes  at  Philippi  (ver.  13),  to  the  Jews 
only  at  Thessalonica  and  Berea  (ch.  n :  2, 10),  and 
his  first  ministry  at  Corinth  (ch.  is :  1-5;  1  Cor.  2 : 3). 
From  prudential  motives  he  perhaps  hesitated 
to  provoke  a  controversy  with  heathenism  by  a 
direct  attack  on  one  of  its  most  cherished  and 
potent  superstitions. — In  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  As  a  herald  in  the  name  and  with  the 
authority  of  his  King,  Paul  speaks. — He  came 
out  the  same  hour.  See  Mark  1  :  37.  In  this 
miracle  Christ  fulfils  the  promise  of  Mark  16  :  17 ; 
Luke  9  : 1,    Comp.  Luke  10  :  17. 

19.  The  hope  of  their  gains  was  gone. 
The  first  heathen  persecution,  like  that  subse- 
quently at  Ephesus  (ch.  19 :  25-27),  was  set  on  foot 
by  covetousness.  Comp.  1  Tim.  6  :  9,  10.  Like 
the  Gergesenes  (Matt.  8 :  28-34)  they  cared  nothing 
that  a  soul  had  been  saved  in  comparison  with 
the  loss  of  their  gains. — They  caught  Paul 
and  Silas.  The  idea  of  violence  is  conveyed 
in  the  original.  Luke  and  Timothy  seem  not  to 
have  been  seized,  either  because  they  were  not 
present,  or  because  they  were  less  prominent,  or 
because,  not  being  Jews,  they  were  less  obnox- 
ious to  the  Greek  population. — Drew  them 
into  the  market-place.  Or  Agora ;  a  public 
square,  used  not  merely  for  purposes  of  market, 
but  for  assemblages  and  other  public  business. 
For  description  and  illustration  see  17  :  17,  note. 
The  accompanying  illustration  from  Lewin  gives 
the  present  aspect  of  the  ruins  of  the  Agora  at 
Philippi,  which  indicates  the  solid  character  of 
the  structure  enplosing  it. — Unto  the  rulers. 
(up/(ov.)  This  term  is  here  a  general  one,  equiv- 
alent to  the  more  specific  one  of  magistrates  in 
the  next  verse. 

20.  To  the  magistrates  {atatr\y6c:).  The 
duumviri  or  praetors  ;  the  former  was  their  pro- 
per name,  the  latter,  as  one  of  greater  honor,  was 
frequently  used  by  them.  See  note  on  ver.  12. — 
Being  Jews.  An  appeal  to  the  natural  preju- 
dice against  the  Jewish  nation  who  were  held 


in  peculiar  contempt  amongst  the  Romans. — Do 
exceedingly  trouble  our  city.  By  curing 
this  poor  lunatic.  To  cast  out  ungodliness  is  a 
trouble  to  those  that  get  gain  by  it.  —  And 
teach  customs  which  are  not  lawful  for  us 
to  receive,  being  Romans.  Observe  the  con- 
trast ;  they,  Jews,  trouble  us,  Romans.  While  the 
Roman  government  allowed  in  the  provinces 
the  original  religion  of  the  inhabitants,  they 
forbade  the  introduction  of  innovations  in  reli- 
gion, especially  into  Roman  cities  like  that  of 
PhUippi,  as  calculated  to  unsettle  the  minds 
of  the  people  and  create  political  disturbance. 
"How  often  in  the  ages  of  our  fathers  was  it 
given  in  charge  to  the  magistrates,  to  prohibit 
the  performance  of  any  foreign  religious  rites ; 
to  banish  strolling  sacrificers  and  soothsayers 
from  the  forum,  the  circus,  and  the  city ;  to 
search  for,  and  burn,  books  of  divmation;  and 
to  abolish  every  mode  of  sacrificing  that  was  not 
conformable  to  the  Roman  practice." — {Livy, 
B.  39,  ch.  16.)  Thus,  though  the  apostles  had 
acted  with  all  possible  prudence,  there  was  color 
for  the  charge  brought  against  them.  More- 
over, every  city  had  its  own  special  protecting 
deities ;  to  bring  into  it  a  new  worship  was  an 
mvasion  which  the  people  were  as  ready  to  re- 
sent as  the  magistrates  to  punish.  Observe 
that  in  the  superstitious  city  of  PhUippi  these 
prejudices  were  easily  aroused,  but  not  in 
the  philosophical  and  skeptical  city  of 
Athens  nor  in  the  commercial  city  of  Corinth 

(chaps.  17,  18). 

23-24.  The  multitude  rose  up  together. 
*     *     *     the    magistrates   rent   off  their 

clothes.  The  clothes  of  Paul  and  Silas.  The 
mob  and  the  magistrates  acted  together; 
but  the  implication  is  that  the  magistrates 
acted  under  the  impulse  of  and  to  please 
the  mob,  as  did  PUate  in  the  case  of  Christ. 
No  attempt  at  inquiry  was  made,  no  oppor- 
tunity was  given  to  the  accused  for  defence 
or  to  plead  their  Roman  citizenship.  Paral- 
lel to  the  course  of  the  mob  here  is  that 
in  ch.  19  :  28,  34 ;  21  :  30.  —  Commanded 
to  beat  them.  The  command  was  given 
to  the  lictors,  the  sergeants  of  ver.  35,  and 
the  beating  was  inflicted  with  the  lictor's 
rod  or  fasces.  These  consisted  of  a  number 
j  of  rods  cut  from  the  elm  or  birch  tree  and 
bound  together  with  thongs ;  they  were  car- 
I  ried    by    the    lictors    before    certain   of    the 


Ch.  XVL] 


THE  ACTS. 


181 


24  Who,  having  received  such  a  charge,  thrust  them 
into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  last  in  the 

25  And   at  midnight  Paul   and  Silas  prayed,'=   and 
sang ''  praises  unto  God :  and  the  prisoners  heard  them. 


26  And  suddenly  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  so* 
that  the  foundations  of  the  prison  were  shaken :  and 
immediately'  all  the  doors  were  opened,  and  every 
one's  bands  were  loosed. 

27  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  awaking  out  of 


James  6 :  13 d  Ps.  84  :  1 e  ch.  4  :  31 f  chaps.  6  :  19 ;  12  :  7,  10 ;  Isa.  42 :  7. 


magistrates,  and  were  used  to  inflict  scourg- 
ing. During  the  reign  of  the  kings,  and 
under  the  flrst  years  of  the  republic,  an 
axe  was  likewise  inserted  amongst  the  rods, 
but  after  the  consulate  of  Publicola,  no 
magistrate,  except  a  dictator,  was 
permitted  to  use  the  fasces  with 
an  axe  in  the  city  of  Rome  ;  the  em- 
ployment of  both  together  being 
restricted  to  the  consuls  at  the  head 
of  their  armies  and  to  the  quaestors 
in  their  provinces.  The  illustration 
affords  an  example  of  the  fasces  as 
they  appeared  with  the  axe  insert- 
ed, from  a  bas-relief  of  the  Mattel 
palace  at  Rome.  That  the  beating 
in  this  instance  was  inflicted  by  the 
lictor  with  the  fasces  is  indicated 
in  the  original  by  the  verb  (^u/iJ/Cf") 
which  signifies  literally  to  beat 
FASCES,  with  a  rod.  Paul  refers  to  this  in 
2  Cor.  11  :  25,  "thrice  was  I  beaten 
with  rods ; "  the  other  two  instances  history  has 
not  recorded.  That  he  keenly  felt  the  degrada- 
tion is  evident  from  1  Thess.  2  :  2.  The  beating 
was  upon  the  bare  back,  the  apostles'  garments 
having  been  violently  torn  off  by  order  of  the 
magistrates,  not  probably  by  them  personally ; 
they  are  said  to  have  done  what  they  ordered  to 
be  done. — The  jailer.  On  the  character  of 
Roman  jaUers,  who  are  also  executioners,  see 
below. — Itt  the  inner  prison      *     *     *     * 


INNER   PRISON — SECTIONAIi   VIEW. 

fast  in  the  stocks.  The  Roman  prisons  were 
customarily  divided  into  three  stories,  one  above 
the  other,  appropriated  to  different  purposes. 
The  lowermost  was  a  dark  underground  dun- 


geon entered  through  the  floor  of  the  cell  above, 
and  used  only  for  execution  when  the  criminal 
was  condemned  to  death ;  the  middle  one,  on  a 
level  with  the  ground,  but  like  the  other  ap- 
proached only  through  the  roof,  served  as  a 
place  of  confinement  for  the  more  dangerous 
prisoners.  Filth,  vermin,  lack  of  air  and  light, 
and  the  often  superadded  chains  of  stocks,  made 
this  a  veritable  abode  of  torture.  This  was  prob- 
ably the  inner  prison  into  which  Paul  and  Silas 
were  thrust.    The  stocks  were  constructed  like 


IN   THE   STOCKS. 

those  of  more  modem  times ;  they  are  still  used, 
though  now  rarely,  in  the  East,  the  criminal 
being  ordinarily  publicly  exposed  in  the  market- 
place, where  he  is  an  object  of  derision,  and  is 
sometimes  pelted  by  the  populace.  Corap.  with 
the  treatment  of  Paul  and  Silas  here  that  of 
Jeremiah  in  Jer.  20  :  2  ;  38  :  6. 

25.  And  at  midnight  Paul  and  Silas  in 
their  prayers  were  singing  praises  unto 
God,  and  the  prisoners  were  listening  to 
them.  This  renders  nearly  literally  the  origi- 
nal ;  while  they  were  singing,  and  while  the  pris- 
oners were  listening,  the  earthquake  came.  Their 
experience  beautifully  illustrates  the  reference 
of  Job  to  God,  "who  giveth  songs  in  the  night," 
and  emphasizes  Paul's  exhortation  to  the  Phi- 
lippian  Christians,  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway  " 
(phii.  4 : 4).  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the  most 
joyous  of  Paul's  epistles  is  that  written  to  the 
church  at  PhUippi,  born  out  of  his  experienca 


182 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVI. 


his  sleep,  and  seeing  the  prison  doors  open,  drew  out 
his  sword,  and  would  have  killed  himself,  supposing 
that  the  prisoners  had  been  fled. 

28  Buts  Paul  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  sajiang,  Do 
thyself'  no  harm  ;  for  we  are  all  here. 

29  Then  he  called  for  a  light,  and  sprang  in,  and 
came  trembling,'  and  fell  down  before  Paul  and  Silas, 


30  And  brought  them  out,  and  said.  Sirs,  whati  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ? 

31  And  they  said,  Believe  ^  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy '  house. 

32  And  they  spalse  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  all  ™  that  were  in  his  house. 

33  And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  night,  and 


g  Prov.  24  :  IJ,  12 :  1  Thess.  6 :  16 h  Eccles,  7  :  15-17 i  Jer.  6  :  22 i  chaps.  2  :  37  ;  9  :  6 k  ch.  13  :  39  ;  Hab.  2:4:  John  3  :  16,  36 : 

6:47....!  ch.  2:39.. ..m  Rom.  1:14,  16. 


of  suffering.  The  Psalms  afforded  appropriate 
stanzas  for  their  use.  See  Ps.  40  :  1^ ;  79  :  13  ; 
102  :  19,  20 ;  116  :  14 ;  142  :  8,  9  ;  146  :  6-8.  Ob- 
serve that  the  Christian's  inward  experience  of 
joy  is  superior  to  outward  experience  of  trouble  : 
"Their  legs  in  the  stocks  pained  them  not,  whose 
Bouls  were  in  heaven." — (TertuUian.)  Also  that 
the  Christian's  prayer,  even  in  his  direst  extrem- 
ity, should  ever  be  with  praise  (phu.  4:6;  CoL  4 : 2 ; 

1  Thess.  6  :  is). 

26,  27.  And  suddenly  there  was  a  great 
earthquake.  A  remarkable  illustration  of  an- 
swer to  prayer;  and  observe  that  this  answer 
involves  a  divine  interference  with  nature,  though 
not  a  violation  of  natural  law.  We  must  know  a 
great  deal  more  about  earthquakes  and  their 
causes  than  we  do  now,  to  assert  that  it  is  irra- 
tional to  believe  that  such  an  earthquake  should 
be  sent  in  answer  to  prayer. — All  the  doors 
were  opened  and  every  one's  bands  were 
loosed.  Either  by  the  action  of  the  earthquake, 
or  by  the  same  supernatural  power  which  pro- 
duced the  earthquake. — The  keeper  of  the 
prison.  The  jailer  of  ver.  23;  the  Greek  word 
is  the  same. — Would  have  killed  himself, 
supposing  that  the  prisoners  had  been 
fled.  Under  the  Koman  law  the  jailer  was  lia- 
ble to  undergo  the  punishment  which  the  male- 
factors, who  escaped  by  his  negligence,  were  to 
have  suffered.  See  ch.  13  :  19.  Hence  the  pains 
which  the  soldiers  took  to  make  sure  of  the 
death  of  Christ  (John  19 :  34).  The  jailer  would 
have  avoided  death  and  disgrace  by  suicide. 
Notwithstanding  some  dissuasives  from  suicide 
by  a  few  of  the  best  ancient  moralists,  it  was 
generally  approved  by  the  Romans.  Among  the 
defenders  of  the  right  of  self-destruction  are 
Seneca,  Epicurus,  Lucretius,  Pliny ;  among  those 
whose  example  sanctioned  it  are  Cato,  Cassius, 
Diodorus  and  Brutus. 

28.  Paul  cried  with  a  loud  voice.  The 
jailer's  purpose  must  have  been  supematuraUy 
communicated  to  him,  for  the  prisoners  were 
yet  in  darkness,  and  the  jailer  was  not  in  nor 
probably  very  near  to  the  inner  prison. — Do 
thyself  no  harm.  This  is  the  message  of  the 
Gospel  to  man  in  despair.  Contrast  with  it  the 
counsel  of  Seneca,  "If  life  pleases  you,  live ;  if 
not,  you  have  a  right  to  return  whence  you 
came." — For  w^e  are  all  here.  Paul  does  not 
argue  the  sinfulness  of  suicide.     He  first  re- 


moves the  jailer's  fears ;  he  afterwards  affords 
him  religious  instruction. 

29, 30.  Then  he  called  for  lights.'  Plural, 
not  singular ;  sufficient  to  light  the  whole  prison. 
—And  sprang  in.  An  indication  of  his  excite- 
ment and  eagerness. — And  came  trembling. 
The  language  of  an  eye-witness. — And  brought 
them  out.  From  the  inner  prison ;  perhaps  into 
the  court-yard,  where  may  have  occurred  the 
speaking  of  the  word  by  the  apostles  (ver.  32). — 
Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved.  Not 
from  the  earthquake,  for  the  danger  from  that 
was  passed ;  nor  from  punishment,  for  his  pris- 
oners had  not  escaped ;  moreover  Paul's  answer 
is  not  responsive  to  the  inquiry  if  this  were  its 
significance ;  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  would 
not  secure  him  from  the  danger  of  punishment. 
These  interpretations  are  curiously  shallow,  and 
ignore  the  ordinary  effect  of  great  events,  and 
especially  great  dangers,  upon  the  mind.  Such 
an  event  as  this  earthquake  brings  the  eternal 
world  near,  and  gives  to  the  dullest  soul  some 
sense  of  his  spiritual  needs ;  the  same  motive 
which  leads  the  soldier  in  battle,  and  the  sailor 
in  storm,  to  pray,  though  he  has  never  prayed 
before,  led  the  jailer  to  ask  one  who  had  proved 
himself  an  unexpected  friend,  what  he  should 
do  for  personal  salvation.  Comp.  the  effect  of 
Christ's  miracle  on  Peter's  mind  in  Luke  5  :  8. 

31-33.  And  they  said.  Put  thy  trust  on 
the  Sire,  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  a  contrast 
between  the  jailer's  question  and  the  apostle's 
reply  not  preserved  in  the  English  version.  The 
Greek  for  Sirs  in  ver.  30,  and  Lord  in  ver.  31,  is 
the  same.  He  addresses  them  as  Sires  or  Lords; 
they  reply,  Trust  in  the  one  and  only  Sire  or 
Lord,  Jesus  Christ.  To  believe  here  is,  not  to 
believe  in  any  doctrine  respecting  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  jailer  was  a  heathen  who,  so  far  as 
we  know,  knew  nothing  respecting  him.  Trust 
may  and  often  does  precede  knowledge. — And 
thy  house.  The  promise  includes  his  as  well 
as  him.  Not  that  they  should  be  saved  without 
faith,  but  that  their  faith  should  be  awakened 
through  his. — And  they  spake  unto  him  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  Apparently  either  in  the 
large  room  of  the  prison,  or  in  the  court-yard ; 
certainly  the  members  of  his  household,  and 
possibly  the  other  prisoners,  were  auditors  with 
him. — Washed  their  stripes  and  was  bap- 
tized.    "He  washed  their  stripes,  was  washed 


Ch.  XVI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


183 


washed  their  stripes  ;  and  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his, 
straightway. 

34  And  when  he  had  brought  them  into  his  house, 
he  set  meat"  before  them,  and  rejoiced,"  believmg  in 
God  with  all  his  house. 

35  And  when  it  was  day,  the  magistrates  sent  the 
Serjeants,  saying.  Let  those  men  go. 

36  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  told  this  saying  to 


Paul,  The  magistrates  have  sent  to  let  you  go :  now 
therefore  depart,  and  go  in  peace. 

37  But  Paul  said  unto  them.  They  have  beaten  us 
openly  uncondemned,P  being  Romans,  and  have  cast 
us  into  prison  ;  and  now  do  they  thrust  us  out  privily  ? 
nay,  verily  ;  but  let  them  come  themselves,i  and  ietch 
us  out. 


n  Luke  5  :  29 0  Rom.  5:11 p  ch.  22  :  25 q  Dan.  6  :  18,  19  ;  Matt  10  :  16. 


from  sin;  he  fed  them  and  was  fed." — {Chrysos- 
tom.) — He  and  all  his.  The  all  here,  who 
were  baptized,  are  the  all  to  whom  the  word 
was  preached  (ver.  32),  and  the  all  who  believed 
(ver.  34).  It  does  not  therefore  seem  to  me  that 
any  were  here  baptized,  probably  except  those 
who  personally  heard  and  accepted  the  word  of 
God ;  but  it  would  also  seem  not  natural  to  sup- 
pose that  the  rite  which  was  performed,  if  not 
before  daybreak,  certainly  before  the  business 
of  the  day  began  (ver.  35),  was  by  immersion. 
The  authorities  cited  by  Dr.  Hackett,  however, 
are  sufficient  to  show  that  immersion  was  not  im- 
possible :  "  'The  rite  may  have  been  performed,' 
says  De  Wette,  'in  the  same  fountain  or  tank 
in  which  the  jailer  had  washed  them.'  'Per- 
haps the  water,'  says  Meyer,  'was  in  the  court 
iof  the  house  ;  and  the  baptism  was  that  of  im- 
mersion, which  formed  an  essential  part  of  the 
symbolism  of  the  act.'  (Sec  Rom.  6:3,  seq.) 
Ancient  houses,  as  usually  built,  enclosed  a  rect- 
angular reservoir  or  basin  (the  impluvium,  so- 
called)  for  receiving  the  rain,  which  flowed  from 
the  slightly  inclined  roof.  Some  suggest  that 
they  may  have  used  a  y.oXvu(ii'i<iQa,  or  swimming 
bath,  found  within  the  walls  of  the  prison.  Such 
a  bath  was  a  common  appurtenance  of  houses 
and  public  edifices  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans." 

34.  He  set  meat  before  them.  Literally, 
he  set  a  table.  The  night  which  began  in  woe 
ended  in  rejoicing. — And  rejoiced  believing 
in  God.  Either,  Rejoiced,  having  believed  in 
God,  or  Rejoiced  that  he  had  been  led  to  believe 
in  God.  Comp.  ver.  31.  Observe,  Paul  bids  him 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  he  believes  in 
God.  So  in  John  14  :  1,  Ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve also  in  me. 

On  the  Conversion  of  the  Jailer. — Ob- 
serve (1)  The  character  of  the  man :  a  heathen, 
with  no  previous  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and 
no  faith  in,  probably  no  knowledge  even  of  the 
one  true  God.  That  he  was  not  a  proselyte  is 
certain  from  ver.  34 ;  that  he  had  no  previous 
sympathy  with  the  apostles  is  equally  certain, 
from  his  treatment  of  them  (ver.  24).  Not  only  a 
heathen,  but  a  man  of  probably  brutal  nature. 
The  jailers  were  also  torturers  and  executioners, 
were  taken  from  the  lower  classes  of  society,  and 
were  brutalized  by  their  vocation.  No  more 
hopeless  case  for  conversion  can  be  readily  con- 


ceived. (3.)  The  condition  of  salvation  :  not  any 
creed,  nor  any  ceremony,  nor  any  education  or 
gradual  process  of  reformation,  but  a  simple 
trust  in,  and  reliance  upon,  Jesus  as  his  Lord, 
i.  e.,  his  Sovereign  and  Master.  (3.)  The  evi- 
dence he  gave  of  the  reality  of  his  conversion : 
by  listening  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  spoken  by 
his  prisoners ;  by  accepting  baptism  at  their 
hands ;  by  releasing  them  from  prison  and  the 
stocks,  and  making  them  his  guests ;  all  of  which 
was  done  at  the  hazard  of  his  office,  if  not  of  his 
life  (see on  verse8  21, 27).  (4.)  The  suddenness  of  his 
conversion.  It  is  instant ;  it  is  instantly  recog- 
nized by  Paul  and  Silas;  the  same  hour  he  is 
baptized  and  received  into  the  visible  church ; 
there  is  no  probation  for  a  period  of  religious 
instruction  and  moral  improvement.  The  church 
is  for  the  weak  and  ignorant,  as  well  as  for  the 
strong  and  wise.  Neither  did  he  require  time  to 
consider  whether  he  would  accept  Christ,  nor 
did  Paul  to  consider  whether  he  should  be  ac- 
cepted. The  apostles  in  officially  accepting  new 
members  act  the  doctrine  which  they  preach,  viz., 
that  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  condition  of 
salvation.  Contrast  with  this  simple  and  sub- 
lime declaration  of  Paul  here,  Put  thy  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved, 
the  declaration  of  a  later  dogmatism  as  em- 
bodied in  the  Athanasian  creed,  with  its  declara- 
tion, "He  that  will  be  saved  must  thus  think  of 
the  Trinity." 

35,36.  Whenitwasday.  All  had  occurred 
between  midnight  (ver.  25)  and  morning. — Sent 
the  sergeants.  Probably  the  lictors  {fiu^iiov/og). 
The  lictor  was  a  public  officer  attached  to  the 
service  of  certain  Roman  magistrates,  whom  he 
preceded  whenever  he  went  abroad.  He  carried 
the  fasces  elevated  on  his  left  shoulder,  and  a  rod 
in  the  right  hand,  with  which  he  removed  any 
persons  obstructing  the  way,  and  knocked  at  the 
doors  of  those  whom  the  magistrate  visited.  Six 
lictors  attended  the  praetor.  They  also  executed 
punishment  on  the  condemned.  See  notes  on 
vers.  12,  32. — Let  those  men  go.  The  lan- 
guage implies  contempt.  Conybeare  and  How- 
son  translate  it.  Let  those  fellows  go.  The  action 
of  the  magistrates  results,  "  either  from  reflect- 
ing that  they  had  acted  more  harshly  than  the 
case  had  warranted,  or  from  hearing  a  more 
accurate  statement  of  facts,  or  through  alarm 
caused  by  the  earthquake,  or  through  that  vague 


184 


THE 


38  And  the  Serjeants  told  these  words  unto  the  magis- 
trates: and  they  feared,  when  they  heard  that  they 
were  Romans. 

39  And  they  came  and  besought'  them,  and  brought 
them  out,  and  desired '  them  to  depart  out  of  the  city. 

40  And  they  went  out  of  the  prison,  and  entered  into 
the  house  0/  Lydia : '  and  when  they  had  seen  the  breth- 
ren, they  comforted  them,  and  departed. 


ACTS.  [Ch.  XVII. 

CKA.PTER   XVII. 

NOW  when  they  had  passed  through  Amphipolis 
and  Apollonia,  they  came  to  Thessalonica,  where 
was  a  synagogue  of  the  Jews  : 

2  And  Paul,  as  his  manner  was,"  went  in  unto  them, 
and  three  sabbath  days  reasoned  with  them  out  of  the 
scriptures. 


r  Eiod.  11:8;  Rev.  3  :  9  ....  e  Matt.  8  :  34  ....  t  verse  14  ....  n  chaps.  9  :  20  ;  13  :  6,  14 ;  Luke  4  :  16. 


THE  LICTOB. 

misgiving  which  sometimes,  as  in  the  case  of 
Pilate  and  his  wife,  haunts  the  minds  of  those 
who  have  no  distinct  religious  convictions." — 
{Conyieare  and  Howson.)  —  Go  in  peace.  A 
common,  here  a  Christian,  salutation.  The  jailer 
accepts  the  message  with  joy,  and  anticipates  its 
acceptance  by  Paul.  To  him  it  seems  a  great 
victory  that  Paul  should  be  released  ;  the  man- 
ner of  the  release  he  does  not  consider. 

37-40.  Paul  said  unto  them.  Through 
the  jailer.  "Almost  every  word  in  this  reply 
contains  a  distinct  allegation.  It  would  be  diflB- 
cult  to  find  or  frame  a  sentence  superior  to  it  in 
energetic  brevity." — (Hackett.)  They  have  been 
beaten  openly,  they  will  not  be  thrust  out  privi- 
ly ;  they  have  been  punished  uncondemned,  they 
will  not  be  released  unacquitted  ;  they  have  been 
cast  into  prison  before  all  the  people,  they  will 
not  go  out  of  the  prison  as  though  they  were 
fugitives.  The  demand  of  the  apostle  was  not 
without  reason ;  not  only  personal  dignity  justi- 
fied him ;  it  was  also  necessary  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  infant  church  at  Philippi.  The 
scourging  had  been  notorious ;  if  they  had  de- 
parted secretly,  the  church  would  have  been 
likely  to  suffer  from  the  imputation  that  its 
founders  were  fugitives  from  justice. — They 
feared  when  they  heard  that  they  were 
Romans.  The  Roman  law  cared  little  for  hu- 
man rights,  but  a  great  deal  for  the  rights  of  a 
Roman  citizen.  On  the  nature  of  those  rights, 
and  the  nature  of  Paul's  acquisition  of  them,  see 
ch.  22  :  27,  28,  note.  The  Valerian  law  exempted 
the  Roman  citizen  from  stripes  and  tortures  until 


an  appeal  to  the  people  was  decided ;  the  Por- 
cian  law  absolutely  forbade  the  infliction  of 
stripes  upon  a  Roman.  The  violation  of  these 
laws  rendered  the  magistrate  liable  to  indictment 
for  treason,  the  penalty  being  death  and  the  con- 
fiscation of  his  property. — They  came  and 
besought  them.  The  word  so  rendered  is  the 
same  one  translated  comforted  in  the  next  verse. 
They  used  fair  words  to  atone  for  a  foul  deed  ; 
they  were  now  as  obsequious  as  they  had  been 
tyrannical. — They  comforted  them  and  de- 
parted* Rather  exhorted  or  encouraged  them. 
The  apostles  are  not  in  haste  to  depart ;  but  for 
the  present  the  door  is  closed  against  their  min- 
istry ;  they  do  not  remain. 

This  is  the  origin  of  the  church  at  Philippi. 
Attached  to  Paul  by  peculiar  sympathy  in  its 
origin,  it  is  of  all  the  churches  the  one  most  for-, 
ward  to  manifest  its  love  to  him  in  all  his  sub- 
sequent afflictions  (phn.  4 :  lo,  is) ;  to  it  he  seems  to 
have  been  peculiarly  attached  (phii.  1 : 3-5) ;  origi- 
nating with  a  few  women,  proselytes  (ver.  13), 
women  appear  to  have  been  among  its  most 
active  members  in  its  subsequent  history  (phii. 
4  : 2, 3).  From  the  language  of  the  verse  here, 
which  is  in  the  third  person,  they  comforted  them 
and  departed,  with  that  of  ver.  13,  which  is  in 
the  first  person,  ive  were  in  that  city,  it  has 
been  reasonably  surmised  that  Luke,  and  per- 
haps Timothy  (phii.  2 :  19),  remained  for  a  time  at 
Philippi  after  the  departure  of  Paul  and  Silas. 


Ch.  17  :  1-15.  PAUL  CONTINUES  HIS  MISSIONARY 
TOUR  ;    THKSSALONICA  ;    BEREA.      The    unsckupu- 

LOUSNESS  OP  KELIGIOUS  ANIMOSITY.  —  ThE  WATER- 
MARKS OP  AUTHENTICITY  IN  THE  BoOK  OF  ACTS  (vCfS. 

5,  6,  8,  notes).— True  nobility  ;  it  is  willing  to  re- 
ceive THE  truth  ;  IT  receives  nothing  AS  truth 
without  investigation. 

Paul  apparently  still  desires  to  preach  the 
Gospel  first  to  his  own  nation,  and  is  driven  by 
the  providence  of  God  from  the  Jew  to  the  Gen- 
tile. Thus  he  passes  through  Amphipolis  and 
Apollonia,  where,  we  may  presume,  there  was  no 
Jewish  synagogue,  preaches  at  Thessalonica  to 
the  Jews,  driven  thence  by  the  mob,  preaches  in 
the  synagogue  at  Berea,  and  not  till  he  is  driven 
from  that  city  comes  to  Athens,  the  centre  of 
Grecian  philosophy  and  idolatry. 

1.  When  they  had  passed  throu§:h  Am- 
phipolis.   A  city  of  Macedonia,  about  33  miles, 


Ch.  XVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


185 


or  a  day's  journey,  distant  from  Philippi. 
Standing  in  a  pass  traversing  the  mountains 
bordering  the  Strymonic  gulf,  thus  command- 
ing the  only  easy  communication  from  the  coast 
of  that  gulf  to  the  great  Macedonian  plains, 
it  was  one  of  the  most  important  strategic  points 
In  Greece,  and  it  was,  in  consequence,  an  object 
of  contention  among  the  leading  states.  The 
ancient  name  of  the  place  was  "Nine  Ways," 
from  the  great  number  of  Thracian  and  Mace- 
donian roads  which  here  met.  Situated  on  a 
tongue  of  land,  formed  by  the  bend  of  the  River 
Strymon,  it  needed  an  ai'tificial  protection  only 
on  one  side,  across  the  isthmus,  and  the  name 
Amphipolis,  or  Round-About  Town,  was  given 
because  of  its  being  thus  river-girt  on  three  sides. 
It  was  his  failure  in  an  expedition  against  Am- 
phipolis that  caused  the  exile  of  Thucydides — a 
fortunate  exile,  since  to  it  we  owe  his  History  of 
the  Peloponnesian  War.  Amphipolis  has  no  im- 
portance in  the  Scripture  narrative,  being  only 


mentioned  here.  It  is  now  only  a  mere  village, 
called  by  the  Greeks  Ncokhorio,  by  the  Turks 
Jeni-Keni,  or  New  Town.  —  And  Apollonia. 
A  city  of  Macedonia,  in  the  district  of  Mygdonia, 
whose  site  is  now  only  an  object  of  conjecture.  It 
has  no  other  importance  than  as  aflfordiug  a  pos- 
sible lodging-place  for  Paul  on  his  journey,  and  is 
believed  to  have  been  about  midway  between 
Amphipolis  and  Thessalonica,  which  were  about 
two  days'  journey  apart.  The  distance  from 
Philippi  to  Amphipolis  is  33  miles  :  Amphipolis  to 
Apollonia,  about  30  miles ;  Apollonia  to  Thessalo- 
nica, 37  miles.  Thus  the  journey  from  Philippi 
to  Thessalonica  need  not  have  occupied  more 
than  three  days.  Paul  apparently  did  not  preach 
in  either  Amphipolis  or  Apollonia,  probably  be- 
cause there  was  no  synagogue  in  either  city. 

Thessalonica.  This  city  is  situated  on  a 
declivity  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  bay  of 
Thermae.  It  was  originally  an  inconsiderable 
town,   known  successively   as  Emathia,   Halia, 


THESSALONICA. 


and  Thermae,  was  enlarged  by  Cassandra,  one  of 
Alexander's  generals,  and  renamed  Thessalo- 
nica in  honor  of  his  wife.  At  the  time  of  Paul's 
visit  it  was  the  most  important  city  of  Mace- 
donia, and  its  metropolis.  Its  commercial  posi- 
tion, and  its  consequent  communication  with  all 
parts  of  the  world,  made  it  a  centre  from  which 
the  Gospel  was  rapidly  and  widely  disseminated 
(1  Thess.  1 :  s).  It  had  been  made  by  the  Roman 
government  a  free  city,  that  is,  it  had  the  right 
of  self-government,  the  provincial  governor  did 
not  interfere  in  its  municipal  affairs,  the  local 
magistrates,  probably  elected  by  the  people,  had 
the  power  of  life  and  death,  no  Roman  garrison 
was  quartered  within  the  city,  a  senate  or  an 
assembly,  representing  the  people,  made  its 
municipal  regulations,  in  short,  it  had  many  of 
the  privileges  and  all  the  insignia  of  a  free  com- 
munity ;  its  allegiance  to  the  central  govern- 
ment at  Rome  was  insured,  for  the  possession  of 
Its  privileges  was  dependent  upon  its  good  behav- 


ior. In  such  a  city  the  charge  of  inciting  trea- 
son (ver.  7)  would  be  onc  peculiarly  obnoxious 
both  to  magistrates  and  people.  In  ecclesi- 
astical history,  Thessalonica  is  an  important 
object ;  it  became  the  bulwark  of  Oriental  Chris- 
tendom, received  the  designation  of  the  "ortho- 
dox city,"  and  was  one  of  the  most  important 
sees  in  the  early  church.  Its  commercial  char- 
acter has  always  given  to  it  a  large  Jewish  popu- 
lation, and  it  is  said  to  embrace  at  the  present 
day  between  10,000  and  20,000  Jews.  Its  mod- 
ern name  is  Salonica. 

2-4.  Paul,  as  his  manner  ^vas.  See  cb. 
13  :  14 ;  16  :  13 ;  17  :  10  ;  18  : 4.— Three  Sabbath 
days.  That  is,  three  successive  Sabbath  days ; 
this  indicates,  probably,  only  the  duration  of 
his  ministry  in  the  synagogue.  The  facts  that 
the  Philippians  sent  twice  to  him  while  at  Thes- 
salonica (phii.  4 :  u),  that  heathen  were  converted 
and  added  to  the  church  (i  Thess.  i  :  9),  and  that  a 
Christian  church  was  successfully  organized  (ee« 


186 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


3  Opening  and  alledging,  that  Christ  must'  needs 
have  suffered,  and  risen  again  from  the  dead  ;  and  tiiat 
this  Jesus,  whom  I  preach  unto  you,  is  Christ. 

4  And  some  "  of  them  believed,  and  "  consorted  with 
Paul  and  Silas  ;  and  of  the  devout  Greeks  a  great  mul- 
titude, and  of  the  chief  women  not  a  few. 

5  l!ut  the  Jews  which  believed  not,  moved  with 
envy,  took  unto  them  certain  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser 
sort,  and  gathered  a  company,  and  set  all  the  city  on 


an  uproar,  and  assaulted  the  house  of  Jason,T  afid 
sought  to  bring  them  out  to  the  people. 

6  And  when  they  found  them  not,  they  drew  Jason 
and  certain  brethren  unto  the  rulers  of  the  city,  cry- 
ing. These  ^  that  have  turned  the  world  upside  down 
are  come  hither  also  ; 

7  Whom  Jason  hath  received  :  and  these  all  do  con- 
trary =■  to  the  decrees  of  Caesar,  saying  that  there  is 
another  king,  one  Jesus. 


T  cb.  18  :  28  ;  Luke  24  :  26,  46 ;  Gal.  3:1. 


ch.  28  :  24...  n  2  Cor.  8  :  5;  1  Tbess.  1  :  5,  6 y  Rom.  16  :  21 z  ch.  16  :  20;  Luke  23  :  6... 

a  Luke  23  :  2 ;  John  19  :  12. 


on  ver.  4)  indicates  a  longer  ministry  ;  Lewin  sup- 
poses that  Paul  remained  in  the  city  for  two  or 
three  months.— Opening  and  alleging.  That 
is,  opening  to  them  the  O.  T.  Scriptures  by  inter- 
preting aright  their  prophecies.  Comp.  Luke 
a4  :32.— That  the  Messiah  must  needs  have 
suffered  and  risen  from  the  dead.  Comp. 
Luke  24  :  26.  The  character  of  his  preaching 
here  is  illustrated  by  his  sermon  at  Antioch  in 
Pisidia  (ch.  13.  Comp.  ch.  9 :  22).  His  preaching  com- 
prised two  parts :  first,  that  the  Messiah,  in 
order  to  fulfill  O.  T.  prophecy,  must  be  a  suffer- 
ing, a  crucified,  and  a  risen  Messiah ;  and  second, 
that  the  life,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  accorded  with  O.  T.  prophecy  in  these 
respects.  —  And  some  of  them  believed. 
Some,  that  is,  of  the  synagogue  worshippers; 
mainly  the  proselytes,  not  the  Hebrews  by  birth. 
— And  consorted  with  Paul  and  Silas. 
Cast  in  their  lot  with  Paul  and  Silas;  not  only 
accepted  theoretically  their  interpretation  of 
prophecy,  but  practically  adopted  the  Chris- 
tian life  with  all  the  dangers  which  such  a  course 
entailed.  This  interpretation  is  much  more 
natural  than  that  preferred  by  Alford,  "were 
added  as  if  by  lot,  i.  e.  by  God,  "  to  the  great 
family  of  which  Paul  and  Silas  were  members." 
— Devout  Greeks.  Greek  proselytes  to  the 
Jewish  religion. — Chief  women.  From  the 
earliest  ages  women  have  been  among  the  first 
converts  to  Christianity  (vers.  12, 34 ;  ch.  16 :  is).  The 
epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  give  us  some  addi- 
tional information  in  respect  to  Paul's  course 
during  this  ministry  and  its  results.  He  labored 
by  night  that  he  might  not  be  a  charge  upon  the 
infant  church  (1  Thess.  2:9);  set  them  an  example 
of  purity  and  industry  (1  Thess.  2 :  10-12) ;  suffered 
not  his  boldness  to  be  checked  by  the  persecu- 
tions endured  at  Philippi  ^i  Thess.  2: 2) ;  made  no 
endeavor  to  gain  converts  by  flattery  or  by  relax- 
ing the  obligations  of  the  moral  law  (1  Thess.  2 : 4-6). 
His  ministry  was  accompanied  with  the  power 
and  produced  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  (1  Thess.  1 : 3-5), 
and  while  he  presented  a  suffering  Saviour,  he 
also  pointed  the  Thessalonians  forward  to  the 
second  coming  of  the  Lord  (ver.  7,  note).  Appa- 
rently at  this  time  a  Christian  church  was  fully 
organized,  comprising  both  Jewish  and  heathen 
converts,  some  of  whom  subsequently  became 
Paul's  traveling  companions  (ch.  20  :  4).     It  had 


regularly  ordained  pastors  (1  Thess.  5 :  12, 13),  with 
some  provisions  for  discipline  (2  Thess.  3 : 6, 14, 15), 
and  it  is  reasonably  surmised,  from  a  comparison 
of  1  Thess.  5  :  1,  2,  with  Matt.  24  :  36,  42,  43, 
possessed  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew. 

5.  But  the  Jews  taking  unto  them  of 
the  market-men,  certain  wicked  fellows, 
and  raising  a  mob,  produced  an  uproar 
in  the  city ;  and  assaulting  the  hou.se  of 
Jason,  sought  to  bring  them  out  to  their 
fellows.  Comp.  this  translation,  which  follows 
very  closely  the  original  Greek,  with  the  English 
version.  In  the  Agora,  or  market-place,  see  ver, 
17,  note,  of  the  ancient  city  gathered  the  market- 
men  from  the  country  about.  These  were  often 
a  rude  and  semi-barbaric  people  ;  sometimes,  as 
to-day  in  some  of  the  towns  of  North  Africa, 
they  were  not  even  allowed  to  enter  within  the 
city  walls,  but  were  allotted  a  market-place  with- 
out the  gates  ;  the  market-women  were  as  noto- 
rious for  their  foul  language  as  those  of  the  Bil- 
lingsgate market  of  London.  It  is  these  market- 
men,  who  are  not  inaptly  described  in  our  Eng- 
lish version  zs  fellows  of  the  baser  sort.  The  jieople 
are  not  the  inhabitants  of  the  city,  but  the  ruder 
country-folk  who  had  come  in,  either  to  sell  or  to 
buy,  and  were  easily  incited  to  a  riot.  Their 
tumultuous  proceedings  excited  the  apprehen- 
sions of  the  people  of  the  city  (ver.  s).  The  Greek 
word  renderedp<?opfe  in  this  verse  is  demos  (J);,«oc), 
and  signifies,  as  in  the  earlier  Greek  poets,  the 
outlying  country  population,  not,  as  Conybeare 
and  Howson  apparently  understand  it,  the  muni- 
cipal legislature  of  the  city.  In  the  N.  T.  it  al- 
ways has  this  sense  of  people,  and  generally  in  a 
tumultuous  condition  (ch.  12:22;  19:30,33).  The 
Greek  word  in  ver.  8  is  oklos  ('i/Ao?),  a  general 
term,  ordinarily  rendered  in  the  N.  T.  multitude, 
and  signifies  here  the  whole  population  of  the 
city.  The  riotous  proceedings  of  the  country- 
folk excited  the  apprehensions  of  the  whole  pop- 
ulation. Of  Jason  nothing  is  known,  except  that 
he  was  a  kinsman  of  Paul  (Rom.  16 :  21). 

6,  7.  They  drew  Jason  unto  the  rulers 
of  the  city.  The  prafectus  urbi.  This  oflScer 
was  ordinarily  appointed  by  the  emperor, 
though  in  a  free  city  like  that  of  Thessalonica, 
was  generally  chosen  by  the  people.  He  had 
control  of  the  police,  and  general  jurisdiction 
over  aU  criminal  matters.    It  is  a  curious  fact 


Ch.  XYIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


187 


8  And  they  troubled*  the  people,  and  the  rulers  of 
the  Cfty,  when  they  heard  these  things. 

9  And  when  they  had  taken  security  of  Jason,  and 
ofthe  other,  they  let  them  go. 

10  And  the  brethren  immediately  sent  away'=  Paul 
and  Silas  by  night  unto  Berea:  who  coming  thither^ 
went  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews. 


11  These  were  more"' noble  than  those  in  Thessalo- 
nica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with  all  readiness" 
of  mind,  and  searched  the  scriptures'  daily,  whether 
those  things  were  so. 

12  Therefore  many  of  them  believed  ;  also  of  hon- 
ourable women  which  were  Greeks,  and  of  men,  not  a 
few. 


b  Matt.  2:3;   John  11  :  48 c  verse  14 ;   ch.  9  :  25. 


.  .e  James  1  :  21  ;    1  Pel.  2:2 f  Isa.  34  :  16 ;   Luke  16  : 


that  the  Greek  word  here  used  to  designate  this 
chief  magistrate,  politarch  («oA(r-u^/i;c),  which  is 
not  employed  in  classic  Greek  as  a  designation  of 
municipal  rulers,  is  found  on  the  ruins  of  an 
ancient  arch  at  Thessalonica,  in  an  inscription 
which  informs  us  that  the  magistrates  of  Thessa- 
lonica were  called  poliiarchs,  and  that  they  were 
seven  in  number ;  and  it  is  a  curious  coincidence 
that  three  of  the  name  are  identical  with  those 
of  Paul's  friends  in  this  region,  —  Sopater  of 
Berea  (ch.  20 : 4),  Gains  the  Macedonian  (ch.  19 :  29), 
and  Secundus  of  Thessalonica  (ch.  20 : 4). — These 
that  have  turned  the  world  upside  doAvn. 
An  unconsciously  true  characterization  of  the 
office  of  Christianity.  Evidently  the  fame  of 
the  new  religion  had  penetrated  heathenism. — 
These  all,  i.  e.,  these  Christians  wherever 
found. — Contrary  to  the  decrees  of  Caesar. 
The  Julian  Laws  gave  a  very  vague  and  general 
definition  of  treason ;  "  whoever  violated  the 
majesty  of  the  state,"  was  declared  a  traitor,  and 
almost  any  offence  could  be  easily  brought  by 
any  magistrate  within  the  terms  of  so  general  a 
definition. — There  is  another  king.  This 
charge  here  corresponds  to  that  presented  be- 
fore Pilate  against  Jesus  (Luke  23 : 2 ;  John  19 :  12).  Not 
improbably  the  report  of  that  accusation  had 
reached  the  Jews  at  Thessalonica,  and  was  bor- 
rowed by  them  for  this  occasion.  Some  color 
was  given  to  it  by  the  peculiar  character  of  Paul's 
preaching  at  Thessalonica,  in  which  Christ's 
kingly  character,  second  advent,  and  final  king- 
dom upon  the  earth,  appear  to  have  been  prom- 
inent (1  Thess.  1  :  10  ;  2  :  19  ;  3  :  13  ;  4  :  13-18 ;  6:1,2;  2  Thess. 
1  :  5,  7-10;  2  :  1-12;  3:  s). 

8,  9.  Troubled  the  people.  See  on  ver.  5. 
Mental  perplexity  and  agitation  are  indicated. 
— When  they  had  taken  security  of  Jason 
and  ofthe  other.  Possibly  bail,  that  they  would 
appear  and  answer  when  summoned  for  a  future 
trial  (so  Lewin) ;  but  this  seems  to  me  improb- 
able, since  treason  was  not  a  bailable  offence. 
More  probably,  security  that  the  city  should  be 
no  more  troubled  by  them ;  and  this  view  is 
confirmed  by  the  next  verse.  This  pledge  could 
be  carried  out  only  by  sending  Paul  and  Silas 
out  of  the  city,  which  was  done  immediately. 
Whether  any  further  proceedings  were  taken 
against  Jason  is  unknown,  but  Paul's  expres- 
sions in  his  subsequent  letters  Indicate  that  the 
persecution  was  in  some  form  continued  (2  Thess. 


1 : 4).    With  this,  too,  agree  the  admonitions  of 

his  epistles  (1  Thess.  4  :  11 ;  2  Thess.  3  :  ll). 

In  studying  this  incident  observe  (1)  the 
unscrupulousness  of  religious  animosity.  The 
Jews  invite  the  co-operation  of  the  heathen,  and 
of  the  lowest  class  of  the  heathen  ;  they  throw 
the  whole  city  into  tumult ;  they  present  what 
they  know  to  be  a  false  charge  ;  they  apostatize 
from  their  own  faith  in  repudiating  a  Messiah,  and 
demanding  the  punishment  of  one  of  their  own 
nation  for  preaching  that  kingdom  of  God  which 
was,  and  still  is,  the  stay  and  hope  of  the  devout 
Jew  in  his  exile.  (3.)  The  incidental  and  strik- 
ing confirmation  of  Luke's  historical  accuracy. 
"He  takes  notice  in  the  most  artless  and  inci- 
dental manner  of  minute  details  which  a  fraudu- 
lent composer  would  judiciously  avoid,  and 
which,  in  the  mythical  result  of  mere  oral  tradi- 
tion, would  surely  be  loose  and  inexact.  Cyprus 
is  a  '  proconsular '  province.  Philippi  is  a  '  col- 
ony.' The  magistrates  of  Thessalonica  have  an 
unusual  title,  unmentioned  in  ancient  literature ; 
but  it  appears,  from  a  monument  of  a  different 
kind,  that  the  title  is  perfectly  correct.  And 
the  whole  aspect  of  what  happened  at  Thessa- 
lonica, as  compared  with  the  events  at  Philippi, 
is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  ascertained  differ- 
ence in  the  political  position  of  the  two  places. 
There  is  no  mention  of  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  Roman  citizenship  (comp.  ch.  le :  21 ) ;  but  we  are 
presented  with  the  spectacle  of  a  mixed  mob  of 
Greeks  and  Jews,  who  are  anxious  to  show  them- 
selves to  be  'Caesar's  friends.'  Comp.  ch.  17  :  7 
with  John  19  :  12.  No  lictors  (ch.  le :  35, 3s),  with 
rods  and  fasces,  appear  upon  the  scene  ;  but  we 
hear  something  distinctly  of  a  demus  (ch.  n  :  5),  or 
free  assembly  of  the  people  (but  quere,  see  on 
ver.  5).  Nothing  is  said  of  religious  ceremonies 
(ch.  16 ;  21)  which  the  citizens,  'being  Romans,' 
may  not  lawfully  adopt ;  all  the  anxiety,  both  of 
people  and  magistrates,  is  turned  to  the  one 
point  of  showing  their  loyalty  to  the  emperor 
(ch.  17  : 7).  And  those  magistrates  by  whom  the 
question  at  issue  is  ultimately  decided,  are  not 
Roman  praetors  (ch.  is :  20, 22, 35,  etc.),  but  Greek 
politarchs." — {Conyheare  and  Iloivmji.) 

10-12.  By  night.  To  avoid  danger  from  the 
mob. — Unto  Berea.  A  walled  city  on  the  east- 
ern slope  of  the  Olympian  range,  about  50  miles 
from  Thessalonica,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river 
Haliacmon,  about  five  miles  from  where   that 


188 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVTI. 


13  But  when  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica  had  knowl- 
edge that  the  word  of  God  was  preached  ot  Paul  at 
Berea,  they  came  thither  also,  and  stirred  ups  the 
people. 

14  And  then  immediately  the  brethren  sent  away  '^ 


Paul,  to  go  as  it  were  to  the  sea :  but  Silas  and  Timo- 
theus  abode  there  still. 

15  And  they  that  conducted  Paul  brought  him  unto 
Athens:  and  receiving  a  commandment  unto  Silas  and 
Timotheus'  for  to  come  to  him  with  all  speed,  they 
departed. 


g  Lnke  12  :  51 ....  h  Matt.  10  :  23 i  ch.  18:6 


river  breaks  through  an  immense  rocky  ravine 
from  the  mountains  to  the  plain.  Though  pos- 
sessed of  many  natural  advantages,  that  which 
has  rendered  it  famous  was  its  seclusion.  It 
was  a  retreat,  though  not  an  idle  one  for  Paul, 
after  the  Thessalouian  trouble.  According  to 
Cicero  it  afforded,  under  widely  different  cir- 
cumstances, a  refuge  from  the  complaints  of  an 
exasperated  people,  for  Piso,  who,  while  prsefect 
of  Macedonia,  had  shamefully  outraged  his  office. 
Under  Roman  authority  it  was  assigned  to  the 
third  region  of  Macedonia.  It  is  well  shaded 
with  plane  trees,  and  so  abundantly  watered, 
that  in  almost  every  street  there  is  a  running 
stream.  It  is  described  as  one  of  the  most 
agreeable  towns  in  Rumili.  It  boasts  of  a  pres- 
ent population  of  15,000  or  20,000,  and  is  placed 
in  the  second  rank  of  cities  in  European  Turkey. 
There  still  remains  some  ruins  of  the  Greek  and 
Roman  period.  There  seems  to  be  a  general 
opinion  that  the  inhabitants  were  of  a  superior 
culture  and  disposition,  but  no  other  authority 
is  given  than  the  expression  here. — More  noble 
than  those  in  Thessalonica.  Literally  of 
better  birth.  Not  as  in  our  English  version  in 
that  they  received  the  word;  two  statements  are 
made  by  the  historian,  one  that  the  Jews  at 
Berea  were  a  better  class  than  those  at  Thessa- 
lonica, the  other,  a  result  and  an  evidence  of 
this  fact,  that  they  received  the  word  with  7-eadi- 
ness  of  mind,  i.  e.,  a  willingness  to  consider,  and, 
if  true,  to  receive  it.  Observe  their  readiness  was 
not  that  of  a  superstitious  credulity,  as  that  of 
the  Lycaonians  (ch.  u  :  n),  for  they  searched  the 
Scriptures  daily  to  see  whether  these  things  were 
so.  They  illustrate  Paul's  directions  to  the  Thes- 
salonians  (i  Thess.  6 :  21).— Honorable  women. 
Occupying  an  honorable  position  in  the  commu- 
nity. See  ch.  13  :  50,  note.— Greeks.  Greek 
proselytes ;  heathen  would  not  have  searched 
the  Jewish  Scriptures  for  evidence  of  Paul's 
message, 

13,  14.  Observe  that  Anti-Christ,  as  well  as 
Christ,  has  his  missionaries.  How  long  Paul 
remained  at  Berea  we  have  no  means  of  know- 
ing ;  he  twice  attempted  to  go  back  to  Thessa- 
lonica (1  Thess.  2 :  is),  and  as  1st  Thessalonians  was 
written  from  Corinth,  we  may  assume  that  the 
endeavor  therein  mentioned  was  made  while  at 
Berea.  By  the  phrase  as  it  xoere  to  th£  sea,  we  are 
to  understand,  not  that  he  made  a  pretence  of 
going  by  sea,  to  deceive  his  enemies,  and  then 


went  by  land,  which  would  have  involved  a  jour- 
ney of  over  two  hundred  miles,  but  that  he 
started  in  the  direction  of  the  sea.  The  histo- 
rian did  not  go  with  him,  and  writes  only  what 
he  personally  knew. 

15.  They  that  conducted  Paul.  The  dele- 
gation from  the  church  at  Berea  which  accom- 
panied him.  They  went  with  him  to  Athens, 
and  returning  brought  the  command  from  Paul 
to  Silas,  who  had  remained  at  Berea,  and  to 
Timothy,  who  had  meanwhile  gone  back  to 
Thessalonica,  either  from  Berea  or  from  Athens 
(1  Thess.  3:2);  but  Silas  and  Timothy  do  not  seem 
to  have  rejoined  Paul  until  he  reached  Corinth. 
We  have  no  direct  information  what  became  of 
Luke  in  the  meantime. 

Ch.  17  :  16-34.  PAUL  AT  ATHENS.  Pantheism,  ma- 
terialism, POSITIVISM,  REFUTED.  See  Note  on  Paul 
at  Athens. 

Preliminary  Note.— To  understand  aright, 
either  the  significance  of  Paul's  course  at  Athens, 
the  meaning  of  the  incidental  allusions  to  his 
surroundings,  or  the  full  force  of  his  marvellous 
address,  it  is  necessary  that  the  reader  should 
have  a  measurably  correct  apprehension  of  both 
the  external  aspects  of  the  city  and  the  charac- 
ter of  its  people.  Athens,  the  pre-eminent  an- 
cient city  in  civilization,  arts  and  arms, — distin- 
guished for  philosophy  and  learning, — famous 
for  its  architecture  and  statuary,  and  the  mother 
of  the  most  celebrated  warriors,  poets,  states- 
men and  philosophers, — was  situated  in  the  plain 
of  Attica,  the  city  proper  being  about  three 
miles  from  the  sea,  although  as  described  by 
Lewin  and  Smith  it  consisted  of  two  circular 
wall-enclosed  cities,  united  by  another  long  and 
narrow  portion,  also  wall-enclosed.  One  of  the 
circular  portions  included  the  sea-ports  Pireus 
and  Phalerum,  the  other  the  inland  settlement ; 
the  connecting  fortification,  know^n  as  the  "  Long 
Walls,"  being  a  populous  street,  making  a  third 
city,  whose  inhabitants  were  shut  out  from  all 
view  of  the  country  by  the  vast  wall  on  either 
side.  It  needs  no  graphic  words  to  picture  the 
misery  of  a  people  thus  imprisoned,  when  to 
their  ordinary  suffocating  crowding  was  added 
the  horror  of  the  plague,  or  the  terrors  of  a 
siege.  The  plain  on  which  Athens  was  built 
was  fertile  only  in  architectural  material,  but 
the  exquisite  clearness  of  the  air,  the  beau- 
tiful outlook  over  rocky  eminences  to  the  sea, 


Ch.  XVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


189 


with  the  dark  green  lines  of  olive  groves  wind- 
ing through  the  valley,  formed  a  landscape  both 
picturesque  and  inspiring. 

Athens  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  Cecrops 
and  an  Egyptian  colony,  about  1550  years  before 
Christ,  and  hence  was  called  Cecropia  even  in 
later  times,  but  to  have  received  the  name 
Athens  from  the  prominence  given  to  the  wor- 
ship of  the  goddess  Athene,  or  Minerva,  whose 
olive-wood  statue  and  temple  erected  by  Erec- 
theus  I.  were  most  sacred  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people.  After  some  centuries  of  growth  under 
various  rulers,  heroes,  or  despots,  during  which 
time  some  magnificent  temples  and  other  public 
buildings  were  erected,  Athens  was  captured  by 
Xerxes,  who  reduced  it  almost  to  ashes,  b.  c.  480. 


But  later  an  increased  maritime  power  brought 
a  greater  prosperity,  and  her  wealth,  largely 
augmented  by  the  tribute  paid  her  by  subject 
states,  afforded  ample  means  for  the  re-embel- 
lishment of  the  city.  Under  the  administrations 
of  Themistocles,  Cimon  and  Pericles  most  of  her 
public  buildings  were  erected.  Subsequently 
through  various  vicissitudes,  being  alternately 
ruinously  ravaged  and  magnificently  adorned, 
Athens  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans, 
under  whose  rule  the  commerce  of  the  city  was 
annihilated,  but  philosophy,  literature  and  art 
continued  to  thrive.  During  the  middle  ages 
it  degenerated  into  an  insig-nificant  town,  until 
the  thirteenth  century,  when  it  became  again 
the  football  of  contest,  and  has  since  suffered 


ANCIENT  ATHENS  BESTOEED. 


greatly  in  the  various  sieges  to  which  it  has  been 
subjected.  In  1834  Athens  was  declared  the  cap- 
ital of  the  new  kingdom  of  Greece,  but  it  has 
little  to  glory  in,  except  its  treasures  of  anti- 
quity, which  commend  it  to  scholars.  It  has 
only  a  small  university,  and  its  trade  is  described 
as  consistmg  of  "walking-sticks  and  smoking- 
tubes  made  of  the  black  thorn  of  Old  Parnassus. " 
The  city  as  Paul  entered  it  is  easily  reproduced. 
Though  he  left  no  minute  description,  we  have 
the  records  of  a  traveler,  Pausanias,  who  visited 
it  only  50  years  after  Paul,  during  which  time 
there  had  probably  been  but  little  change.  We 
may  presume  that  he  landed  at  the  Port  Pha- 
lerus,  the  nearest  port  to  Macedonia,  although 
Port  Pireus,  on  the  other  side  of  the  peninsula, 


was  the  more  commonly  used.  Here  at  these 
two  ports,  was  maritime  Athens,  once  thriving, 
now,  though  retaining  some  outward  features 
of  its  former  prosperity,  degenerated  into  a  mere 
harbor  for  the  upper  city.  Temples  to  Ceres, 
Minerva  and  Jupiter  were  the  first  objects  to 
meet  the  eye  of  the  apostle  as  he  stepped  upon 
the  shore  ;  and  as  he  passed  further  on,  altars 
erected  to  the  deified  heroes  and  to  "  unknown 
gods  "  (see  ver.  23,  note)  met  his  view  on  every 
side.  Paul's  course  would  lead  him  between 
the  ruins  of  the  "  Long  Walls. "  The  remnants 
of  this  fortress  still  remained  scattered  about, 
although  some  of  its  material  had  been  used  in 
the  Roman  siege  for  other  military  works.  The 
foundations  of  these  immense  solid  walls,  proba- 


190 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


biy  sixty  feet  high,  are  still  to  be  traced  here 
and  there  on  the  plain.  StUl  a  third  fortifying 
wall,  called  the  Phaleric,  had  connected  the  main 
or  upper  city  with  the  coast,  but  this  had  been 
allowed  to  fall  into  decay  when  the  second  or 
southern  of  the  two  Long  Walls  had  been 
erected.  Arrived  at  the  city  walls,  a  distance 
of  forty  stadia  or  four  and  one-half  miles,  and 
entering  by  the  Piraic  gate,  the  Pnyx  lay  on 
the  left,  the  museum  hill  on  the  right,  and  op- 
posite the  gate  ran  a  street  directly  to  the  Agora 
(the  market    of    verse   17).     The    walls   were 


some  seven  and  a  half  miles  in  circumference, 
about  the  same  length  as  those  enclosing  the 
Port  cities.  There  are  eleven  gates  mention- 
ed by  name,  and  others  the  names  of  which 
are  unknown.  At  the  very  gate  the  eye  must 
have  been  bewildered  with  the  multitude  of 
temples  and  statues.  On  either  side  of  the 
street  was  a  colonnade,  under  whose  porticoes 
were  shops  displaying  their  costly  wares,  with 
rows  of  bronze  statues  in  front.  At  the  end  of 
the  street  was  the  Agora,  the  forum  or  market- 
place, which  had  been  the  centre  of  a  glorious 


ATHENS — MODERN. 


public  life,  but  which  could  only  impress  the 
apostle  as  the  meeting-place  for  lounging,  con- 
versation and  business,  of  a  people  who  spent 
their  time  in  nothing  else  but  either  to  tell  or  to 
hear  some  new  thing.  In  one  sense,  the  whole 
quarter  known  as  the  Agora  was  a  market,  for 
at  the  same  time  that  it  contained  some  of  the 
finest  temples,  statues  and  public  buildings  of 
Athens,  it  was  one  grand  bazaar,  where  could  be 
found  the  flower  piazza,  the  slave  mart,  men's 
clothing  here  and  women's  clothing  there,  flsh- 
stalls,  book-stalls,  pottery,  perfumes,  fruit  and 
vegetables.    This  strange  medley  of  commodi- 


ties was  to  be  found  among  the  finest  works  of 
art  the  world  has  ever  seen.  Here  were  statues 
of  the  celebrities  of  Athens — Solon,  Conon,  De- 
mosthenes, the  mythical  Hercules  and  Theseus, 
and  all  the  fabled  divinities  of  Olympus.  Every 
public  building  was  the- sanctuary  of  some  deity 
and  adorned  with  his  statue.  Here  was  the  Tem- 
ple of  Apollo,  called  the  Patroum ;  the  Temple 
of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods,  or  the  Metroum; 
the  Senate  house,  the  altar  of  the  Twelve  Gods ; 
the  Tholus,  with  its  circular  stone  dome,  where 
the  prytanes  took  their  meals  and  offered  their 
sacrifices.    Here  while  the  morning  marketing 


Ch.  XVIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


191 


and  trafiBc  called  together  a  concourse,  Socrates 
had  come  to  find  an  audience,  and  here  were  the 
great  informal  gatherings  of  the  people  for  gen- 
eral purposes.  The  Agora  occupied  a  central 
position  in  the  city.  The  Pnyx,  where  met  the 
political  assemblages,  adjoined  it  on  the  west. 
In  this  semi-circular  area,  capable  of  holding 
13,000  people,  the  assembled  citizens  stood  or  sat 
on  the  bare  rock  early  in  the  morning,  "at  day- 
break," to  listen  to  their  great  orators.  From 
the  Bema  of  this  Pnyx,  of  which  there  are  still 


some  remains,  Demosthenes,  Pericles,  Themis- 
tocles,  Aristides  and  Solon  have  addressed  the 
Athenian  people.  On  the  east,  wall-enclosed, 
was  the  Acropolis— the  citadel — a  square,  craggy 
rock,  rising  abruptly  about  150  feet,  with  a.-tiat 
summit  of  about  1000  feet  from  east  to  west,  by 
500  feet  from  north  to  south.  This,  the  original 
site  of  the  ancient  city — it  had  long  before  ceased 
to  be  inhabited — was  appropriated  to  the  worship 
of  Athena  and  the  other  guardian  deities  of  the 
city.    Art  having  offered  her  sacrifices  of  mas- 


1  v^jUliJoUpj^     '^ 


tnlCity 


Circuit  of  the  i   L.t...  m 
-he fere  the£i.rsia  i  ]tars 
-^,  Jfoiite  of  the  Pannthencac 

lUC*"'      J^ocesswn. 


PLAN    OF   ATHENS. 


ter-pieces  here,  it  became  a  museum.  It  was  a 
votive  offering  to  the  unconscious  deities,  of  all 
that  architecture,  sculpture  and  painting  could 
combine,  and  Nature  crowned  it  with  the  un- 
rivalled tinting  which  the  sunlight  in  a  won- 
drously  clear  atmosphere  could  produce.  But 
to  the  Christian  student  the  great  attraction  is 
the  Areopagus.  North  of  the  Agora,  between 
the  Pnyx  and  the  Acropolis,  was  a  rocky  height 
which  was  the  meeting-place  of  the  Upper  Coun- 
cil, and  the  site  of  the  legendary  trial  of  Mars 
for  the  murder  of  the  son  of  Poseidon.    Here 


the  greatest  criminals  had  received  sentence, 
and  the  most  solemn  questions  of  religion  had 
been  discussed  and  passed  upon.  The  judges 
sat  in  the  open  air  upon  seats  hewn  out  in  the 
rock,  on  a  platform  which  was  reached  by  a 
flight  of  stone  steps  directly  from  the  Agora, 
sixteen  of  which  still  remain.  On  the  brow  of 
the  eminence  was  a  temple  of  Mars,  and  in  a 
broken  cleft  of  the  rock  just  below  the  judges' 
seat  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  Furies.  This  spot 
was  regarded  with  superstitious  reverence,  and 
was  a  "  place  of  awe  in  the  midst  of  the  gay  and 


192 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


i6  Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens,'  his 
spirit  was  stirred  in  him,  wlien  he  saw  the  city  wholly 
given  to  idolatry. 

17  Theretore  disputed  he  in  the  synagogue  with  the 
Jews,  and  with  the  devout"  persons,  and  m  the  mar- 
ket daily  with  them  that  met  with  him. 


18  Then  certain  philosophers'  of  the  Epicureans, 
and  of  the  Stoics,  encountered  him.  And  some  said, 
What  will  this  babbler  say  ?  other  some,  He  seemeth 
to  be  a  setter  forth  of  strange  gods :  because  he  preach- 
ed unto  them  Jesus,  and  the  resurrection. 


j  Ps.  119  :  136  ;  2  Pet.  2:8 k  ch.  8  :  2 1  Col.  2  :  8. 


frivolous  city."  Between  the  Areopagus  and  Pnyx 
was  the  street  Cerameicus,  a  sort  of  corso  run- 
ning from  the  Agora  through  the  Ceramic  gate 
to  the  outer  Cerameicus,  the  place  of  burial  of 
all  who  were  honored  with  a  public  funeral, 
where  were  monuments  to  all  the  illustrious 
dead  of  Athens.  These  were  the  most  impor- 
tant points  of  the  city. 

But  while  the  public  buildings  were  grand  and 
beautiful,  the  streets  adorned  at  every  possible 
point  with  statuary  of  bronze  or  marble,  and 
temples  of  every  shape  and  material  crowded 
every  public  place,  the  private  dwellings  were, 
as  a  rule,  mean ;  the  streets  narrow  and  crooked, 
unpaved  and  dirty  ;  with  poor  supply  of  water, 
and  very  meagre  sewerage.  A  people  taught 
by  the  sages,  the  philosophers  and  the  states- 
men, which  were  the  pride  of  Greece,  ought  to 
have  been  noble  men,  but  Paul  found  the  Athen- 
ians frivolous  and  iirofligate — their  very  culture 
luring  them  to  vice,  and  their  religion  an  incen- 
tive to  shameless  debauchery.  The  philosophy 
which  had  been  their  especial  glory,  having  no 
root  in  the  Divinity,  had  ceased  to  flourish ; 
while  the  uneducated  were  given  up  to  vice  and 
superstition,  the  thinkers  were  "given  up  to  a 
scornful  skepticism."  That  the  schools  of  phi- 
losophy still  had  their  adherents  we  know,  but 
there  was  no  great  leader  in  Athens  to  meet  the 
apostle  Paul.  Such  was  the  city  in  which,  such 
the  people  to  which,  Paul  preached  on  Mars 
Hill. 

16.  His  spirit  was  stirred  in  him.  Lit- 
erally sharpened,  or  whetted,  like  a  sword.  The 
presence  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  so  far 
from  discouraging,  aroused  his  courage ;  as  the 
challenge  of  Goliath  aroused  the  military  ardor 
of  David.— The  city  full  of  idols.  Not,  as 
in  our  English  version,  ivholhj  given  to  idolatry. 
The  actual  presence  of  the  idols  and  temples 
which  crowded  the  streets,  is  indicated,  rather 
than  the  spirit  or  character  of  the  people,  ex- 
cept as  the  former  showed  the  latter.  Petronius 
says,  satirically,  that  it  was  easier  to  find  a  god 
than  a  man  in  Athens ;  Pausanias,  that  it  had 
more  images  than  all  the  rest  of  Greece  put 
together ;  Xenophon,  that  the  whole  city  was  an 
altar,  a  votive  offering  to  the  gods.  Similar 
testimony  is  borne  by  Socrates,  Cicero,  Livy, 
Strabo,  Lucian  and  others. 

17.  Therefore  disputed  he.  Rather,  he 
reasoned  or  discussed.   Paul's  method  in  preach- 


ing the  Gospel  to  those  unacquainted  with  it  was 
never  controversial,  and  the  idea  of  controversy 
is  not  involved  in  the  original  here. — And  Avith 
the  devout  persons,  i.  e.,  the  Jewish  prose- 
lytes from  heathenism.— And  in  the  market. 
Literally,  the  Agora.  In  all  the  larger  Greek 
cities  there  was  a  place  of  public  assembly  so 
entitled,  used  both  for  traffic  and  for  the  trans- 
action of  public  business.  In  the  times  of  Homer 
enclosed  with  large  stones  sunk  into  the  earth 
and  provided  with  seats  of  stone  for  the  chiefe, 
it  grew  in  later  times  into  a  magnificent  structure 
— an  open  space  enclosed  by  porticoes  or  colon- 
nades, and  surrounded  with  statues,  altars, 
temples,  and  other  structures  for  public  busi- 
ness, for  the  administration  of  justice,  and  for 
market  purposes.  It  was  the  centre  of  political 
and  commercial  intercourse  and  of  religious 
life,  answering  to  the  gateway  of  the  Jewish 
city.     Here  were  celebrated  the  first   festive 


THE    AGORA. 
(From  Rich's  Companion  to  the  Latin  Dictionary.) 

games,  here  centred  the  great  highways  of  the 
city,  from  here  started  the  great  religious  pro- 
cessions, here  originally  the  great  public  assem- 
blages of  the  citizens  took  place,  here  the  differ- 
ent sorts  of  merchandise  were  gathered  partly 
in  permanent  shops  and  partly  in  temporary 
booths,  and  here  was  the  place  of  social  and 
fashionable  resort.  This,  at  least,  was  the  Agora 
in  its  original  conception,  though,  in  the  larger 
cities,  the  commercial,  the  religious,  and  the 
political  centres  became  more  or  less  separated, 
and  in  Rome  almost  every  class  of  provision  deal- 
ers had  a  market  of  their  own.  During  the  mar- 
ket hours  the  Agora  was  a  place  of  general  resort ; 
it  was  also  frequented  in  the  afternoon  and  even- 
ing, somewhat  in  the  manner  of  our  public  parks 
to-day,  except  that,  unlike  the  latter,  the  ancient 
Agora  was  resorted  to  by  the  wealthy  and  the  cul- 


Ch.  XVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


193 


BEFORE    A     SirN-DIAL, 

(From  an  antique  gem.) 


tured,  and  it  was  even  deemed  discreditable  not 
to  be  seen  therein.  Socrates  habitually  fi-e- 
quented  it  for  the  purposes  of  conversation  and 
instruction.  The  accompanying  illustration, 
from  an  ancient  painting,  gives  some  idea  of  the 
simpler  kind  of  Agora.  As  Christ's  example 
sanctions  field-preaching,  so  Paul's  street-preach- 
ing. For  further  description  of  the  Agora  at 
Athens,  see  Prel.  Note.— Them  that  met  with 
him.  His  instruction  was  conversational,  not 
oratorical ;  his  first  direct  conflict  with  idolatry 
was  a  hand-to-hand  combat. 

18.    Then  certain  of  the  philosophers, 
of  the  Stoics  and  the  Epicureans.  The  two 
principal    schools    of    Greek    philosophy.     The 
founder  of  Stoicism  was 
^^         Zeno    (340-360    b.    c). 
He    opened  his  school 
in  a  porch,  called  the 
Stoa   Pcecile    ("Painted 
Portico "),    at    Athens, 
whence    the    origin  of 
the  name  of  the  sect. 
The    Stoics    in    theory 
condemned     the     wor- 
^-  -^      ship  of  images  and  the 

PHILOSOPHER  STUDriNG  ugc  of  tcmplcs,  but  m 
A  ROLL  OF  PAPYRUS  practice  justified  the 
popular  Polytheism,  al- 
lowing any  and  all  ways 
of  conceiving  and  woi'shipping  the  Supreme 
Being.  They  were  Pantheists ;  and  much  of 
their  language  is  a  curious  anticipation  of  the 
phraseology  of  modern  Pantheism.  In  their 
view,  God  was  merely  the  spirit  or  reason  of  the 
universe ;  the  world  was  itself  a  rational  soul ; 
matter  was  inseparable  from  the  Deity ;  he  did 
not  create,  he  only  organized ;  the  soul  was  cor- 
poreal, and  at  death  would  be  absorbed  in  God. 
Thus,  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  was  to  Stoi- 
cism an  impossibility.  Nor  was  their  moral  sys- 
tem less  hostile  to  the  teachings  of  Christ.  Ac- 
cording to  Stoicism,  all  outward  things  were 
alike  to  the  wise.  Pleasure  was  no  good ;  pain 
no  evil.  All  actions  conformable  to  reason  were 
equally  good ;  all  actions  contrary  to  reason 
were  equally  evil.  Thus  their  philosophy,  while 
it  approached  the  truth  in  holding  one  Supreme 
Being,  compromised  it  in  allowing  any  and  all 
ways  of  conceiving  and  worshipping  him,  and 
contravened  it,  in  its  Pantheistic  belief  that  all 
souls  are  emanations  of  him.  In  spirit  it  was 
directly  opposed  to  the  Gospel  —  holding  the 
dependence  of  man  on  no  being  but  himself, 
together  with  the  subjection  of  God  and  man 
alike  to  the  stern  laws  of  an  inevitable  fate. 
Christianity  is  the  school  of  humility  ;  Stoicism 
was  the  education  of  pride. 

Epicurus,  the  founder  of  the  Epicureans,  who 
are  referred  to  in  the  N.  T.  only  here,  was  born 


B.  c.  341,  in  the  island  of  Samos.  In  b.  c.  306  he 
opened  a  school  in  a  garden  at  Athens.  His  life  was 
simple,  chaste,  and  temperate.  Of  the  three  hun- 
dred works  he  is  said  to  have  written,  nothing 
has  come  down  to  us  except  three  letters,  giv- 
ing a  summary  of  his  views  for  the  use  of  his 
friends,  a  number  of  detached  sayings,  preserved 
by  Diogenes  Laertius,  and  others,  and  some 
fragments  of  his  work  on  nature,  found  at  Her- 
culaneum.  The  additional  sources  of  our  knowl- 
edge of  Epicurus  are  the  works  of  his  opponents, 
Cicero,  Seneca,  Plutarch,  and  of  his  follower 
Lucretius.  Theologically,  the  philosophy  of  the 
Epicureans  was  a  system  of  materialism,  in  the 
strictest  sense  of  the  word.  The  world  was 
formed  by  an  accidental  concourse  of  atoms; 
the  gods  were  merely  phantoms,  which  had  no 
objective  reality,  or  at  least  exercised  no  active 
influence  on  the  physical  world  or  the  business 
of  life ;  the  universe  was  a  great  accident  and 
suflSciently  explained  itself  without  any  refer- 
ence to  a  higher  power ;  as  there  was  no  creator, 
so  there  was  no  moral  governor ;  all  notions  of 
retribution  and  of  a  judgment  to  come  were,  of 
course,  forbidden  by  such  a  creed ;  the  soul  was 
nothing  without  the  body ;  both  body  and  soul 
were  dissolved  together  and  dissipated  into  the 
elements ;  and  when  this  occurred,  all  the  life 
of  man  was  ended.  In  morals  the  Epicureans 
were  the  utilitarians  of  the  first  century.  They 
held  that  pleasure  is  the  only  good  ;  pain  is  the 
only  evil ;  virtue  is  no  good  to  be  sought  for  itself, 
vice  no  evil  to  be  for  itself  avoided  ;  the  one  is  to 
be  sought  for  the  happiness  it  produces,  the 
other  avoided  for  the  suffering  it  entails.  As  ori- 
ginally taught  by  Epicurus,  this  doctrine  was  not 
sensualistic.  Epicurus  declares :  "  When  we 
say  that  pleasure  is  the  end  of  life,  we  do  not 
mean  the  pleasures  of  the  debauchee  or  the  sen- 
suahst,  as  some,  from  ignorance  or  from  malig- 
nity represent,  but  freedom  of  the  body  from 
pain,  and  of  the  soul  from  anxiety-"  But  in 
Paul's  time  the  philosophy  had  degenerated  into 
that  debased  form  which  its  founder  seems  to 
have  apprehended,  and  its  current  motive  was, 
"Let  us  eat  and  drink  for  to-morrow  we  die" 

(l  Cor.  16  :  32). 

A  third  school  of  philosophy  at  Athens,  scarce- 
ly less  important  than  the  others,  was  that  of 
the  followers  of  Plato.  He  was  accustomed 
to  meet  his  disciples  in  a  garden,  a  grove  once 
belonging  to  Aeademicus;  hence  the  name, 
Academicians.  The  variations  of  doctrine  among 
the  successors  of  Plato  gave  rise  to  successive 
schools  of  philosophy,  known  as  the  Old,  the 
Middle,  and  the  New  Academy.  The  essential 
principle  of  the  Academicians  in  Paul's  time 
was  that  nothing  was  or  could  be  known  ;  thus 
they  represented,  religiously,  that  form  of  skep- 
ticism which  neither  asserts  nor  denies  that  there 


194 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVII. 


19  And  they  took  him,  and  brought  him  unto  Areop- 
agus, saying,  May  we  know  what  this  new  "  doctrine, 
whereof  thou  speakest,  is  f 


20  For  thou  bringest  certain"  strange  things  to  our 
ears :  we  would  know  therefore  what  these  things 
mean. 


m  John  13  :  34  ;  I  John  2  :  7,  8  ....  n  Hosea  8  :  12. 


is  a  Divine  Being,  but  denies  that  anything  can 
be  known  concerning  Him.  Though  not  dis- 
tinctly mentioned  in  this  account,  we  may  safely 
assume,  that  the  altar  to  the  unknown  God  repre- 
sented their  philosophy,  or,  at  least,  that  univer- 
sal outreaching  after  God,  which  such  skeptical 
philosophy  can  neither  prevent  nor  appease. 
Such,  without  entering  into  details  at  once  ab- 
struse and  unprofitable,  were  the  three  great 
schools  of  philosophy  whose  representatives  en- 
countered Paul  at  Athens,  and  who  not  unnat- 
urally mocked  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. Let  the  reader  observe  how  the  apostle's 
address  brings  out  in  clear  contrast  with  these 
philosophies  the  existence  and  the  personality  of 
a  Divine  Creator,  and  the  resurrection  of  the  soul 
and  its  accountability  to  God,  as  well  as  the 
further  truth  in  which  he  would  have  before- 
hand the  sympathies  of  the  intellectual  leaders, 
that  the  Deity  could  not  be  adequately  repre- 
sented by  idols. 

Some  said,  What  will  this  babbler  say  ? 
Other  some.  He  seemeth  to  be  a  setter 
forth  of  strange  gods.    The  first  ridiculed 


cause  he  preached  unto  them  Jesus  and 
the  resurrection.  The  preaching  of  strange 
gods  was  charged  upon  him,  not  because  he 
preached  Jehovah,  as  the  one  only  true  God,  for 
Jehovah  was  not  a  strange  God  in  Athens,  where 
was  a  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  and  where,  by 
public  vote  of  the  council,  a  statue  of  Hyrca- 
nus,  the  high-priest  of  the  Jews,  had  been 
erected  in  the  temple  of  Demus  and  the  Graces 
(see  Jos.  Ant.  14 : 8,  s)  *,  uor  bccause  he  preached  J  esus 
and  the  resurrection,  in  such  a  form  that  the  peo- 
ple imagined  that  the  resurrection  was  a  god  or 
goddess  distinct  from  Jesus,  an  hypothesis  which 
imputes  equal  obscurity  to  Paul  and  stupidity 
to  his  auditors.  The  plural,  setter  forth  of 
strange  g'od.s,  is  employed,  not  because  he 
preached  a  multiplicity  of  gods,  or  set  forth  the 
Trinity,  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  color  to  the  be- 
lief that  he  was  a  polytheist,  but  because  that 
was  the  technical  characterization  of  an  offence 
recognized  under  both  Greek  and  Roman  law  (see 
above).  He  sct  forth  Jesus  as  the  manifestation 
of  God  in  the  flesh;  they  supposed  that  he 
desired  to  add  another  to  the  superabundant 
deities  which  they  al- 
ready  possessed ;     and 


MAKb   HILL — THE   AREOPAGUS. 


him  as  a  talker  of  nonsense,  literally,  a  aeed- 
picker^  a  retailer  of  small  talk,  of  gossip ;  the 
others,  regarding  the  matter  more  seriously, 
accused  him  of  what  was  a  serious  offence  un- 
der Roman  law,  and  for  which  he  had  already 
been  beaten  and  imprisoned  in  Philippi  (ch.  u  :  21, 
note).  It  was  for  setting  forth  strange  gods  that 
Athens  put  Socrates  to  death,  b.  c.  399.  —  Be- 


tion,    see  Prel. 
as  the   official 


Note, 
site   of 


his  address  is  devoted 
to  correcting  this  error, 
and  setting  forth  the 
otie  and  cmly  God,  the 
God  of  all  nations  and 
times,  and  Jesus  as  the 
mail  by  whom  he  will 
judge  the  world  (ver.  31, 

note). 

19,  20.  And  they 
took  him.  Not  with 
violence.  Their  spirit 
is  not  that  of  aroused 
hostility ;  the  act  is  not 
that  of  a  mob. — And 
brought  him  unto 
Areopagus.  Mars 
Hill;  the  word  is  the 
same  so  rendered  in 
ver.  22.  For  descrip- 
It  was  famous  chiefly 
a    council    which  bore 


the  same  name,  which  existed  from  very 
early  antiquity,  which  had  general  charge  of 
order  in  the  city,  which  had  jurisdiction  as  a 
criminal  court  in  cases  of  willful  murder,  and 
which  exercised  a  general  censorship  over  reli- 
gious matters  in  Athens.    Thus,  if  a  formal  com- 


Ch.  XVIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


195 


21  (For  all  the  Athenians,  and  strangers  which  were 
there,  spent  their  time  in  nothing  else,  but  either  to 
tell,  or  to  hear  some  new  thing.) 

22  Then  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of  Mars'  Hill,  and 
said,  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  perceive  that  in  all  things  ye 
are  too  superstitious." 


23  For  as  I  passed  by,  and  beheld  your  devotions,  I 
found  an  altar  with  this  inscription,  TO  THE  UN- 
KNOWN GOD.  Whom  therefore  ye  ignorantly  wor- 
ship, him  declare  I  unto  you. 

24  GodP  that  made  the  world,  and  all  things  therein. 


0  Jer.  60  :  38  .  . . .  p  ch.  14  :  16. 


plaint  had  been  lodged  against  Paul,  it  would 
have  been  naturally  brought  to  trial  before  this 
court.  This  does  not,  however,  seem  to  have 
been  the  case.  Possibly  there  may  have  been  an 
Imperfectly  formed  purpose  to  present  charges 
against  htm,  but  it  was  not  executed.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  the  form  of  their  request  here,  May  we 
know?  from  the  explanation  of  the  next  verse, 
which  attributes  their  action  to  curiosity,  and 
from  the  final  result  (ver.  32),  that  it  is  not  a  judi- 
cial proceeding  which  is  here  described,  but  a 
popular  assembly. — May  we  know  ?  The  lan- 
guage is  courteous ;  that  of  Greeks,  famous  for 
their  politeness,  to  one  whose  teaching  had  thus 
far  been,  outside  of  the  synagogue,  of  a  purely 
personal  and  private  character.  See  ver.  17, 
note. 

21.  A  just  characterization  of  the  Athenian 
people  at  this  period  of  their  history.  Dissatis- 
fied alike  with  the  religion  and  the  philosophy  of 
the  past,  and  too  well  educated  to  remain  con- 
tentedly in  ignorance,  they  were  famed  through- 
out the  land  for  intellectual  restlessness.  There 
is  a  certain  subtle  satire  in  the  original,  inade- 
quately rendered  in  our  English  version.  We 
may  translate  it,  have  time  for  nothing  else  hut 
either  to  hear  or  to  tell  the  latest  news  {xunorcQov,  in 
the  comparative,  signifies  something  newer  than 
what  has  gone  before). 

22.  Then  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of 
Mars  Hill.  To  appreciate  the  courage  of  the 
apostle  in  this  address,  and  his  unfaltering  faith 
in  God  and  truth,  we  must  stand,  in  imagination, 
where  he  stood,  the  temple  of  the  Eumenides 
immediately  below  him,  behind  him  the  temple 
of  Theseus,  on  his  left  the  colossus  of  Minerva, 
the  champion  of  Athens,  to  the  right  the  temple 
of  Victory,  and  opposite,  at  the  distance  of  200 
yards,  the  Acropolis,  so  entirely  occupied  with 
temples  and  statues  as  to  be,  in  the  language  of 
Aristides,  "one  great  offering  to  the  gods." 
History  has  justified  his  faith;  the  Parthenon 
became  a  Christian  temple  ;  Athens  ceased  to  be 
a  city  full  of  images ;  and  the  repugnance  of  the 
Greeks  to  images  and  image  worship  became  so 
great,  as  to  be  a  principal  cause  of  the  schism 
between  the  churches  of  the  East  and  the  West, 
in  the  eighth  century.  —  In  every  point  of 
view.  One  can  readily  imagine  the  apostle  em- 
phasizing these  words  with  a  sweep  of  the  hand 
toward  the  statues  and  images  spread  out  in  the 
city  below. — I  see  you    more   than   others 


reverential  to  the  gods.  It  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  give  accurately  in  the  English  the  exact 
significance  of  the  original.  "Superstition,"  says 
Cicero,  "is  a  senseless  fear  of  God ;  religion,  the 
pious  worship  of  God."  To  render  Paul's  lan- 
guage here  too  superstitious,  as  in  our  English  ver- 
sion, carries  with  it  reprobation ;  to  translate  it, 
as  Hackett,  more  religious  than  others,  carries  with 
it  commendation.  Paul  neither  reprobates  nor 
condemns  ;  he  simply  states  as  a  fact,  witnessed 
by  all  the  monuments  about  him,  the  exceeding 
reverence  for  the  gods,  leaving  it  unsuggested 
whether  that  be  the  reverence  of  love  which 
Socrates  commended,  or  that  of  fear  which  Plu- 
tarch condemned.  But  his  language  is  unques- 
tionably sympathetic ;  and  puts  him  e?i  rapport 
with  his  audience  from  the  beginning.  From 
this  general  reference,  he  naturally  passes  to  the 
altar  to  an  Unknown  God,  and  to  show  how,  so 
far  from  being  a  setter  forth  of  strange  gods,  he 
has  come  to  disclose  to  them  the  true  nature  of 
this  Unknown. 

23.  For  passing  through  (the  city),  and 
looking  about,  upon  {reconnoitering,  consid- 
ering, not  merely  beholding)  the  objects  of 
your  worship  (not  your  devotions,  the  acts  of 
worship,  but  your  altars,  statues  and  temples,  the 
objects  of  your  worship),  I  found  even  an 
altar  on  which  was  inscribed,  To  an  Un- 
known God.  Several  such  altars  existed  in 
Athens,  according  to  Pausanias.  See  Prel,  Note. 
He  reports  the  inscription  as,  "To  unknown 
gfods,"  but  this  may  be  because  he  refers  to  sev- 
eral altars,  each  bearing  an  inscription  such  as 
Paul  reports.  That  is  not,  as  in  our  English  ver- 
sion. To  the  Unknown  God  ;  the  definite  article  is 
wanting  in  the  Greek  ;  nor  to  God  the  Unknown, 
for  this  rendering  there  is  no  grammatical  au- 
thority ;  it  has  been  apparently  invented  to  har- 
monize the  language  of  the  inscription  more 
closely  with  Paul's  speech.  The  origin  of  these 
altars  is  accounted  for  in  different  ways.  There 
is  a  legend  that  in  the  time  of  a  plague,  it  being 
uncertain  which  god  was  offended,  a  number  of 
sheep  were  let  loose,  and  wherever  one  lay  down, 
an  altar  was  erected  to  the  unknown  offended 
deity.  Some  suppose  that  these  altars  were  ori- 
ginally dedicated  to  some  particular  god,  but 
the  name  having  been  lost,  the  place  was  thus 
sacredly  kept.  Others  still  imagine — for  there 
seems  to  be  no  basis  for  the  opinion — that  Jeho- 
vah was  really  intended,  and  that  it  was  an  at- 


196 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  XVII. 


seeing  that  he  isi  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth ' 
not  in  temples  made  with  hands  ; 

25  Neither  is  worshipped  with  men's  hands,  as 
though  s  he  needed  any  thing,  seeing,  he '  giveth  to  all 
life,  and  breath,  and  "  all  things ; 


26  And  hath  made  of  one'  blood  all  nations  of  men, 
for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  and  hath  de- 
termined the  times"  before  appointed,  and  the  bounds" 
of  their  habitation  ; 

27  That  they  should  seek  the  Lord,  if  haply  they 


qMatt.  11  :  25 r  ch.  7  :  48 a  Ps.  60:  8 t  Job  12  :  10;  Zech.  12  :  1 u  Rom.  11 :  36 v  Mai.  2  :  10 w  Ps.  31  :  IB xlsa.45:21. 


tempt  on  the  part  of  the  Athenians  to  conciliate 
the  Jews.  The  real  underlying  reason  appears 
to  be  a  sense,  in  the  more  cultivated  Greeks, 
that  all  the  attempts  to  "find  God"  through 
statues,  and  altars,  and  temples,  were,  after  all, 
in  vain,  and  that  he  was  still  unknown ;  of  this 
the  writings  of  the  best  classic  authors  afford 
abundant  illustration.  The  accompanying  cut 
gives  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  structure  of  the 


ANCIENT  ALTAKS. 

ancient  altars.  The  altar  to  an  Unknown  God 
probably  resembled  these  in  structure.  There 
was  a  cavity  in  the  top  in  which  the  fire  was 
kmdled,  and  an  orifice  at  the  side  or  bottom, 
through  which  the  libations  of  wine,  or  pieces  of 
the  burnt-offering,  flowed. — Whom,  therefore, 
not  knowingly,  ye  worship,  him  declare 
I  unto  you.  Not  ignoranthj,  which  involves 
reprobation,  if  not  contempt.  He  borrows  his 
word  {uYvuirre:)  from  the  inscription  on  their 
altar  (uyvtuarw).  Observe  that  he  speaks  with 
respect  of  the  worship,  "  an  important  lesson  for 
all  who  have  to  deal  with  Paganism  and  Roman- 
ism."— {Alford.) 

24.  The  God  that  made  the  world  and 
all  things  therein.  In  a  single  sentence  he 
sets  forth  the  fundamental  tenet  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  in  contrast  with  Epicureanism, 
which  taught  that  there  was  no  God,  and  that 
the  world  was  only  a  happy  accident ;  with  Sto- 
icism, which  taught  that  the  world  was  God  and 
God  the  world ;  and  with  popular  mythology, 
which  believed  in  as  many  gods  or  goddesses  as 
domains  in  nature  or  political  divisions  in  the 
state. — He  that  is  Lord  (master)  of  heaven 
and  of  earth,  not  in  hand-made  tem- 
ples dwells.  Though  this  truth  had  been  im- 
pressed on  the  mind  of  the  Jewish  nation  by  the 
0.  T.  prophets,  and  was  recognized  by  some  of 
the  better  thinkers  even  in  heathendom,  it  was 
nevertheless  a  radical  and  startling  doctrine  to 
preach  in  the  heart  of  Athens.     Observe  that 


Paul  begins  with  the  foundation;  he  does  not 
preach  Christ  crucified  as  a  Redeemer  till  he 
has  preached  the  one  only  God  as  Creator,  and 
this  for  the  reason  well  stated  by  Stier :  "  Only 
on  the  firm  foundation  of  the  O.  T.  doctrine  of 
creation  can  we  rightly  build  the  N.  T.  doctrine 
of  Redemption;  and  only  he  who  scripturally 
believes  and  apprehends  by  faith  the  earliest 
words  of  Revelation  concerning  the  Creator  of 
all  things,  can  also  apprehend,  know,  and  Scrip- 
turally worship,  THE  MAN,  in  whom  God's  word, 
down  to  its  latest  canonical  revelation,  gathers 
all  things."  For  a  confirmation  of  this  truth, 
see  Paul's  language  in  the  synagogue  at  Antioch 
(ch.  13 :  26,  note).  Obscrvc  in  his  phraseology  here, 
hand-made  temples,  what  we  may  well  believe  is 
a  reminiscence  of  Stephen's  language  in  his  last 

speech  (ch.  l  -.  a,  note). 

25.  Neither  by  human  hands  is  served. 

Not  worshipped;  the  Greek  wUl  not  bear  this 
meaning,  and  the  declaration,  so  rendered,  is 
not  true.    On  the  contrary  he  calls  for  worship 

from  men's  hands  (Psalm  29  :  2;  89  ;  7;  Isaiah  56  :  6,  7 ; 
Hab.  2  r  20  ;  John  4  :  23 ;    1  Tim.  2:8;   Heb.  12  :  28).      But  thiS 

worship  is  not  service ;  in  it  God  serves  us,  we  do 
not  serve  him.  The  heathen  brought  costly 
offerings,  and  food  and  drink,  supposing  that 
the  gods  consumed  them;  this  idea  of  the  de- 
pendence of  God  on  men,  the  reversal  of  the 
truth,  and  one  common  to  all  heathen  and  hea- 
thenish systems,  Paul  disclaims  and  disproves 
(comp.  Psalm  50  :  9-15).— As  though  he  need- 
eth  any  thing.  This  clause  limits  and  defines 
the  term  served  (mistranslated  worshipped)  in 
the  preceding  clause.— He  that  gives  to  all 
life  and  death  and  all  things.  The  fact 
that  all  comes  from  God,  and  is  constantly  pre- 
served by  God,  is  a  sufficient  evidence  that  we 
cannot  serve  him  by  giving  anything  to  him. 
(Comp.  1  Chron.  29  :  14.) 

2G.  Has  made  of  one  blood  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth,  that  they  may  dwell 
together.  Or,  Has  caused  all  the  natio7is  of  the 
earth  {spi-ung)  of  one  blood,  to  dwell  together.  The 
latter  meaning  is  preferred  by  Alford,  De  Wette, 
and  Meyer;  the  former  is  the  more  general  view, 
and  seems  to  me  the  better  one,  both  because 
simpler  grammatically,  and  also  because  it  better 
accords  with  the  context.  The  point  is  not  that 
God  has  caused  the  nations  to  dwell  together, 
for  in  fact  they  had  worshipped  different  and 
even  rival  gods,  and  lived  in  perpetual  conflict ; 


Ch.  XVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


197 


might  feel  after  him,  and  find  him,  though  y  he  be  not 
fax  from  every  one  of  us  : 

28  For^  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being ;  as  ^  certain  also  of  your  own  poets  have  said, 
For  we  are  also  his  offspring. 


29  Forasmuch  then  as  we  are  the|offspring  of  God, 
we  ought  nof  to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto 
gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man's  de- 
vice. 


y  ch.  14  :  n z  Col.  1  :  17 a  Tiias  1  :  12 b  Isa.  40  :  18,  etc. 


but  that  he  had  made  them  of  one  blood,  in  order 
that  they  might  dwell  together  in  peace.  Having 
asserted  the  unity  of  God,  Paul  proceeds  to  assert 
the  unity  of  the  race.  There  is  some  doubt 
whether  the  word  blood  is  authentic  or  not.  Al- 
ford  retains,  Tischendorf  omits  it.  The  question 
is  only  important  in  its  hearing  on  the  scientific 
question,  whether  the  various  races  of  men  de- 
scended from  a  common  parentage  or  not.  The 
whole  religious  significance  of  Paul's  address  is 
preserved,  by  the  reading  which  omits  the  word 
blood,  and  understands  his  reference  to  be  to  the 
divine  origin  of  men,  all  races  being  offspring  of 
one  Father  (see  ver.  28).  This  truth  corrects, 
not  merely  national  pride,  which  was  a  strongly 
marked  characteristic  of  the  Athenians,  who 
claimed  to  be  aboriginal,  sprung  from  the  earth, 
but  also  controverts  the  fundamental  idea  of 
polytheism,  which  gives  to  every  nation  a  differ- 
ent origin,  a  different  religion,  and  a  different 
god. — Having  fixed  the  appointed  seasons 
and  limits  of  their  abode.  So  Dr.  Hackett, 
who  gives  the  significance  well:  "The  apostle, 
by  adding  this,  admonishes  the  Athenians  that 
they,  like  every  other  people,  had  not  only  re- 
ceived their  pecidiar  advantages  from  the  com- 
mon Creator,  but  that  they  could  hold  them 
only  during  the  continuance  of  his  good  will  and 
favor.  In  assigning  to  the  nations  their  respec- 
tive abodes,  he  had  fixed  both  the  seasons  of 
their  prosperity  and  the  limits  of  their  territory, 
i.  €.,  it  was  he  who  decided  when,  and  how  long 
they  should  flourish,  and  hoic  far  their  dominion 
should  extend.  We  have  the  same  idea  exactly 
in  Job  13  :  23."  Let  me  add  that  the  truths  em- 
bodied in  this  verse  are  peculiarly  applicable  to 
our  own  age  and  nation,  in  which  all  races  inter- 
mingle, and  in  which  self-conceit  is  the  predom- 
inant national  vice. 

27.  That  they  should  seek  the  Lord. 
Rather,  Ood,  which  is  the  best  reading.  The 
whole  object  of  the  divine  providence,  in  his 
dealings  with  nations  as  well  as  with  individtials,  is 
to  bring  them  to  a  knowledge  of  the  one  true 
God.  This  is  the  declaration  of  the  apostle ; 
that  it  has  important  bearings  on  the  Christian 
conception  of  national  life,  and  one  peculiarly 
applicable  to  our  own  times,  is  apparent. — If 
haply  they  might  feel  after  him.  As  a  blind 
man  gropes  for  some  object  which  he  is  unable  to 
see.  The  same  Greek  word  is  used  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint  in  Gen.  27  :  12,  21,  22,  which  see  for  illus- 
tration.    How  the  heathen  became  so  blinded 


that  they  must  thus  grope  after  God,  see  Rom. 
1  :  21.  Observe  that  idols  result  from  a  groping 
after  a  mediator  able  to  reveal  an  unknown  God 
to  the  soul.  Jf  haply,  indicates  a  contingency 
not  likely  to  happen.  In  fact,  so  far  as  history 
indicates,  the  instances  of  such  finding  of  the 
true  God  by  the  groping  of  the  heathen,  though 
not  unknown,  are  rare. — Though  he  be  not 
far  from  us.  He  is  hard  to  find,  not  because 
he  withdraws  from  us,  but  because  ive  withdraw 
from  him.    Our  iniquities  separate  us  from  him 

( Isaiah  59  :  2 ;  Jer.  23  :  23,  24 ;  Rom.  10  :  6,  8). 

28.  For  in  him  we  live  and  move  and 
have  our  being.  Comp.  Ephes.  1  :  10 ;  Col. 
1  :  17 ;  Heb.  1  :  3.  The  whole  is  to  be  taken  lit- 
erally, not  of  spiritual  life  and  being  merely. 
"A  climax  rising  higher  with  each  term ;  out  of 
God  we  should  have  no  life,  nor  even  movement, 
which  some  things  without  life  have  (plants, 
water,  etc.),  nay,  not  any  existence  at  all;  we 
should  not  have  been." — (Meyer.)  This  decla- 
ration gives  no  countenance  to  pantheism  ;  that 
asserts  that  God  is  all,  and  all  is  God  ;  this,  that 
God  is  in  all,  and  all  is  dependent  upon  God. — 
As  certain  also  of  your  own  poets  have 
said.  The  reference  is  probably  to  Aratus. 
He  lived  about  B.  c.  270 ;  was  a  native  of  CUi- 
cia,  Paul's  native  province,  perhaps,  though  that 
is  not  quite  certain,  of  Tarsus  ;  lived,  in  his  later 
years,  in  Macedonia ;  wrote  several  poems  and 
some  prose  works.  Only  two  astronomical  poems 
have  been  preserved,  one  of  which  asserts  in  the 
introduction  the  dependence  of  all  things  upon 
Jupiter,  and  contains  the  words  here  quoted, 
"For  we  are  also  his  offspring."  Cleanthes, 
who  lived  about  300  b.  c,  and  was  bom  at  Assos 
in  Troas,  uses  very  nearly  the  same  language  in 
a  well-known  hymn  to  Jupiter.  Plato,  in  the 
same  spirit,  declares  that  God  is  the  "  father  of 
noble  children;"  and  Plutarch,  that  the  soul  is 
"not  only  made  by  him,  but  begot  by  him." 
(Comp.  Matt.  6  :  9,  note. )  Observe  that  Paul 
does  not  quote  the  Bible,  but  a  heathen  poet ; 
he  quotes  as  an  authority  that  which  his  audience 
will  accept  as  such.  Contrast  his  course  in  the 
synagogue  at  Antioch  (ch.  is),  where  his  whole 
address  is  based  on  Scripture. 

29.  We  ought  not  to  think.  He  classes 
himself  with  them,  as  though  this  error  had  for- 
merly been  his  also.  To  those  not  under  the 
law  he  becomes  as  not  under  the  law,  that  he 
may  win  those  not  under  the  law  (i  cor.  9 :  20). 
Observe   how,   without    directly  declaring   the 


198 


THE   ACTS. 


[Oh.  XVir. 


30  And  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  "=  at ; 
but  now''  commandeth  all  men  every  where  to  re- 
pent : 

31  Because  he  hath  appointed  =  a  day,  in  the  which 
he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  man 
whom  he  hath  ordained  ;  mAerea/he  hath  given  assur- 
ance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead. 


32  And  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,'  some  mocked  :  and  others  said,  We  will  hear 
thee  again  ^  of  this  matter. 

33  So  Paul  departed  from  among  them. 

34  Howbeit  certain  men  clave  unto  him,  and  be- 
lieved :  among  the  which  was  Dionysius  the  Areopa- 
gite,  and  a  woman  named  Damaris,  and  others  with 
them. 


c  Rom.  3  :  25 ....  d  Luke  24  :  47 :  TituB  2  :  10,  11 ....  e  Rom.  2  :  16  . . . .  f  ch.  26  :  8  . . , .  g  ch.  24  :  25  ;  Lute  14  :  18. 


N.  T,  doctrines  of  incarnation  and  atonement,  he 
leads  toward  them.  If  we  are  God's  ofispring, 
then  we  ought  not  to  think  that  he  is  like  the 
work  of  our  hands  and  device,  for  he  is  like  us ; 
then  his  highest  manifestation  will  be  looked  for 
in  a  perfect  Son,  that  man  whom  he  hath  or- 
dained (ver.  3i).  The  argument  here  against  idol- 
atry is  exactly  analogous  in  spirit  to  that  of  Ps. 
115 : 3-8  and  Isa.  46  : 5-7,  Observe  that  it  applies 
to  all  use  of  images  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
God  near  to  the  soul  through  the  imagination. 
This  is  the  reason  given  for  their  use  in  the  Romish 
church  to-day  ;  the  truth  is,  however,  that  the 
Godhead  is  not  like  to  such  images,  and  this  is 
equally  true  of  art  representations  of  Christ,  since 
what  is  adorable  in  him  is  not  the  fleshly  form 
(2  Cor.  5 :  16),  but  the  inward,  impalpable  spirit. 

30,  31.  The  times  of  this  ignorance  God 
overlooked.  Comp.  ch.  14  :  16,  where  the 
thought  is  substantially  the  same.  As  in  his  infi- 
nite mercy  God  is  said  to  forget  the  sins  which  he 
pardons,  so  full  and  complete  is  his  forgiveness 
(jer.  31 :  34),  SO  here  he  is  said  to  overlook,  i.  e.,  not 
to  see,  the  sins  which  are  the  fruits  of  ignorance. 
Eternal  life  has  ever  been  given  to  even  those  in 
idolatrous  nations  and  times,  who,  by  patient 
continuance  in  well-doing,  sought  for  glory  and 
honor  and  immortality  (Rom.  2 : 7,  10),  and  their 
idolatry,  if  it  has  not  been  accompanied  by  vmrks 
of  darkness,  has  been  overlooked. — But  now 
commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  re- 
pent. The  command  to  repentance  was  not 
something  new,  for  conscience,  convicting  the 
Gentiles  of  sin,  carried  with  it  a  command  to 
repent  (Rom.  2 :  14, 15).  What  was  characteristic  of 
the  now  was  the  fact  that  this  command,  hereto- 
fore expressed  directly  by  written  or  spoken 
word  only  to  the  Jews,  was  henceforth,  through 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  carried  to  all 
men,  everywhere.  Parallel  is  the  declaration  of 
ch.  11  :  .18,  "  Then  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles 
granted  repentance  unto  life." — Because  he 
hath  appointed  a  day.  The  reason,  not  why 
he  commands,  but  why  men  should  make  haste 
to  obey  the  command. — In  the  which  he  will 
judge  the  w^orld.  The  language  certainly 
implies  a  definite  and  fixed  occasion  of  judgment 
in  the  future.  It  is  hardly  consistent  with  the 
idea  of  a  continuous  judgment,  before  which  the 
Bouls  of  the  dying  appear  immediately  upon 
death,  and  certainly  not  with  the  idea  of  a  grad- 


ual development  in  the  future  life,  carried  on  in 
all  alike,  from  the  stage  attained  by  the  disci- 
pline of  earth.  See  Matt.  25  :  31^6,  Prel.  Note. 
— By  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained. 
Jesus  Christ.  See  John  5  :  25-39.  Observe  that 
Paul  here  refers  to  Jesus  as  that  man,  saying  noth- 
ing of  his  divine  nature,  his  incarnation,  his  king- 
dom, because  he  would  then  be  liable  to  misappre- 
hension, and  might  be  thought  to  be  adding  to  the 
deities  of  Athens  another  deified  Jewish  hero. 
But  in  Thessalonica  he  speaks  of  Christ's  king- 
dom and  second  coming  (ver.  ?,  note),  and  in  Cor- 
inth of  his  incarnation  (1  Cor.  1 :  22-24).  He  adapts 
his  preaching  to  the  needs  and  the  understand- 
ing of  his  auditors.  The  word  that  is  not  in  the 
original ;  the  definite  article  is  wanting ;  but  it  is 
implied  by  the  construction.  See  Alford's  Greek 
Test. — Giving  assurance.  Literally  giving  or 
offering  faith,  i.  e.,  a  ground  for  faith  to  rest 
upon. — In  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead.  The  resurrection  of  Jesus  is,  historically, 
the  basis  for  faith  in  a  supernatural  Christianity. 
See  Vol.  I,  p.  330,  Note  on  the  Resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

32-34.  But  hearing  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  The  resurrection  of  all  the  dead 
was  necessarily  implied  by  Paul's  statements, 
viz.,  that  the  dead  should  all  come  into  judg- 
ment, and  that  the  assurance  of  this  general  ris- 
ing was  afforded  by  the  resurrection  of  the  One 
by  whom  the  judgment  should  be  conducted. — 
Some  mocked;  and  others  said.  The  lat- 
ter were  no  more  serious,  but  only  more  courte- 
ous, than  the  former.  It  was  only  curiosity  that 
brought  them  together ;  when  that  was  satisfied 
they  departed.  There  is  no  reason  for  supposing 
that  the  one  class  were  Epicureans  or  the  others 
Stoics. — But  certain  men  clave  unto  him. 
Following  him  personally  and  becoming  asso- 
ciated with  him.  See  ch.  5  :  13,  note. — Diony- 
sius the  Areopagite.  That  is,  a  member  of 
the  court  of  Areopagus.  According  to  Eusebius 
he  became  afterward  bishop  of  the  church  at 
Athens,  and  died  a  martyr.  The  writings  which 
have  been  attributed  to  him  are  undoubtedly 
spurious,  probably  the  products  of  the  fifth  or 
sixth  century. — Damaris.  Nothing  else  is 
known  of  her ;  there  is  no  adequate  reason  for 
the  conjecture  that  she  was  the  wife  of  Diony- 
sius. 

Padl  at  Athens. — In  considering  the  practi- 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


199 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

AFTER  these  things.  Paul  departed  from  Athens, 
and  came  to  Corintn  ; 


2  And  found  a  certain  Jew  named''  Aquila,  born  in 
Pontus,  lately  come  from  Italy,  with  his  wife  Priscilla  ; 
(because  that  Claudius  had  commanded  all  Jews  to  de- 
part from  Rome  ;)  and  came  unto  them. 


h  Rom.  16  :  3. 


cal  lessons  of  this  eventful  day  in  Paul's  life  ob- 
serve, (1.)  His  courage  of  faith.  Alone,  in  the 
intellectual  metropolis  of  idolatrous  Greece, 
whose  religion  was  interwoven  with  its  national 
and  social  life,  and  sustained  by  pride,  pecuniary 
interests,  political  ambition,  and  a  habit  of  gen- 
erations, he  does  not  hesitate  to  set  against  it 
the  simple  theism  of  Christianity — One  invisible 
God,  Creator  of  the  world  and  all  that  it  con- 
tains— and  to  demand  of  his  auditors  that  they 
repent  of  their  idolatries,  as  of  sin,  basing  his 
demand  on  no  other  authority  than  their  own 
consciousness,  sustained  by  the  utterances  of 
one  of  their  own  poets,  and  by  the  inscription  on 
one  of  their  idolatrous  altars.  (2.)  His  wisdom 
in  (a)  the  adaptation  of  truth.  He  preaches  re- 
demption and  justification  to  the  Jews  at  Anti- 
och  in  Pisidia  (ch.  is),  the  kingdom  of  a  coming 
Messiah  to  the  few  Jewish  women  in  the  proseu- 
chse  at  Philippi  (ch.  i6 :  13,  note),  Christ  crucified, 
the  glory  and  wisdom  of  God,  to  wealthy  and 
aristocratic  Corinth  (1  Cor.  1 : 2.3, 24),  the  One  only 
true  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  to  skeptical, 
atheistic,  and  idolatrous  Athens,  {b.)  His  cour- 
teous and  conciliatory  spirit.  He  speaks  of  their 
superstition  in  terms  of  respect  rather  than  of 
reprobation,  and  recognizes  their  reverence  as 
real,  while  he  endeavors  to  lead  them  from  the 
worship  of  the  false  to  the  worship  of  the  true, 
(c.)  His  method.  He  finds  a  point  of  agreement 
with  them  in  the  inscription.  To  the  Unknown 
God,  and  in  the  language  of  one  of  their  own 
poets.  We  are  his  offspring,  and  from  that  point 
deduces  the  doctrine  of  the  unity  and  spirituality 
of  the  Divine  Being,  (d.)  He  lays  a  foundation 
for  Christianity  in  preaching  theism.  It  is  use- 
less to  preach  the  higher  doctrines  of  the  Gospel 
to  those  who  deny  the  fundamental  tenet — the 
existence,  personality,  and  power  of  God.  (3.) 
The  seemingly  small  results.  In  Philippi,  where 
Paul  is  beaten  ;  in  Thessalonica,  from  which  he  is 
driven ;  in  Corinth,  where  opposition  arouses  a 
mob,  large  and  prosperous  churches  are  early 
formed.  In  Athens,  where  there  is  no  opposi- 
tion, where  curiosity  invites  him  to  preach,  and 
receives  his  message  either  with  courteous  skep- 
ticism or  mocking  disdain,  he  does  not  live  to 
see  any  results  ;  there  is  no  indication  of  a  Chris- 
tian church  in  Athens  in  his  time  ;  in  the  time  of 
the  Antonines  (2d  century)  paganism  still  flour- 
ished there.  Indifference  is  more  discouraging 
than  open  opposition.  (4.)  The  parallelism  to 
our  own  time.  The  forms  of  unbelief  have 
changed ;  their  essential  spirit  and  character  are 


unchanged.  Stoicism  answers  to  modern  pan- 
theism, the  doctrine  that  God  is  all  and  all  is 
God ;  Epicureanism  answers  to  modern  mate- 
rialism, the  doctrine  that  there  is  no  spirit,  noth- 
ing but  a  mode  of  motion ;  the  inscription  to 
the  Unknown  God  represents  the  aspirations 
which,  in  a  different  form,  still  express  them- 
selves in  the  writings  of  those  who  declare  the 
Deity  to  be  the  Unknown  and  the  Unknowable. 
Paul's  treatment  of  the  skepticism  of  Athens  is 
equally  applicable  to  the  parallel  skepticism  of 
our  own  times.  We  are  to  recognize  it  as  a  fact ; 
to  unhesitatingly  attack  it ;  to  treat  it  as  a  gen- 
uine conviction,  with  respect,  and  yet  as  a  spir- 
itual blindness  that  is  a  sin  to  be  repented  of ; 
and  we  are  to  meet  it,  not  by  arguments  drawn 
from  Scripture,  whose  authority  it  does  not  rec- 
ognize, nor  by  preaching  the  higher  doctrines  of 
Christianity — the  incarnation,  atonement,  and 
second  coming  of  Chiist — but  by  appealing  to 
the  inner  consciousness  of  men,  witnessed  in  and 
by  themselves,  and  by  laying  the  foundation,  in 
demonstrating  the  truth  of  theism,  for  a  demon- 
stration of  the  truth  of  Christianity. 

Ch.  18  :  1-22.    PADI,  AT  COPvINTH.    In  season  and 

OUT  OF  SEASON,  PAirL  THE  TENT-MAKER  IS  STELL  PaUIi 

THE  APOSTLE.— The  minister  may  sometimes  leave 

THE    SINNER,    AND     YET    KEEP    HIS     OWN     CONSCIENCE 

CLEAN.— The  Lord  is  with  his  children  in  the  hour 
OF  their  trembling  and  weakness  (comp.  vers. 
9,  10,  with  1  Cor.  2  :  3). — OvERRtJLiNG  Providence  il- 
LirsTRATED.— The  wrath  op  man  praises  God.— 
The  Chkistian's  right  sometimes  to  stop  work 

FOR  THE  sake  OF  WORSHIP  (VCr.  21). 

1 .  And  came  to  Corinth.  A  city  of  Greece 
remarkable  in  every  aspect.  It  was  about  forty- 
five  miles  from  Athens  ;  by  sea,  and  with  a  fair 
wind,  the  voyage  can  be  made  in  from  three  to 
five  hours.  Pre-eminently  advantageous  in  situ- 
ation, notable  in  commerce  and  manufactures, 
foremost,  in  time  as  well  as  proficiency,  in  the 
fine  arts,  mentally  and  manually  active,  it  had  an 
important  place  in  the  history  of  Greece  and 
Rome.  The  Christian  student  is  attracted  to  it 
from  the  fact  of  its  having  received  so  long  a 
visit  from  the  Apostle  Paul  and  been  the  scene 
of  the  initial  Christian  correspondence,  the  most 
important  of  the  epistles  having  all  been  written 
from  or  to  Corinth.  See  Chron.  Table,  p.  20.  From 
ancient  Greece,  or  Hellas  proper,  the  portion 
called  Peloponnesus,  or  the  island  of  Pelops,  was 
almost  severed  by  two  seas — the  Western,  flow- 
ing in  from  the  Adriatic  and  the  Mediterranean, 
called  the  Corinthiacus  Sinus,  now  Gulf  of  Pa- 


200 


tras  and  Lepanto ;  the  Eastern,  from  the  ^gean 
Sea,  called  the  Sinus  Saronicus,  now  the  Gulf  of 
Egina.  That  this  separation  was  not  complete 
was  owing  to  a  narrow,  rocky,  sterile  plain, 
scarcely  three  and  a  half  miles  wide  at  its  nar- 
rowest point.  This  was  the  Isthmus,  Pindar's 
"Bridge  of  the  Sea,"  Xenophon's  "Gate  of  the 
Peloponnesus,"  the  home  of  the  Isthmian  games. 
From  this,  the  Isthmus,  all  such  connecting 
strips  of  land  have  received  their  name.  Entirely 
across  the  northern  end  of  the  Isthmus  stretched 
the  Geraneiau  mountains  through  which  there 
were  only  three  passes  ;  on  the  southern  end  was 
the  Oneian  ridge  not  spanning  the  Isthmus  en- 
tirely— for  between  the  ridge  and  the  Sinus  Co- 
rinthiacus  rose  the  Acrocorinthus,  a  sort  of  off- 
shoot of  the  ridge  separated  from  it  by  a  ravine, 
leaving  still  a  narrow  level  place  between  the 
Acrocorinthus  and  the  sea.  Thus  there  were 
three  passes  on  the  south,  one  on  the  shore  of 
the  Saronic  Gulf,  one  through  the  ravine,  and 
one  at  the  foot  of  the  Acrocorinthus.  This  path 
then,  for  all  the  traffic  between  northern  Greece 
and  Peloponnesus,  this  bridge,  over  which  the 
richly  freighted  Levantine  vessels  were  dragged 
from  sea  to  sea  to  avoid  the  stormy  passage 
around  the  peninsula,  was  a  place  of  the  utmost 
importance,  and  here  Corinth,  planting  herself 
upon  the  slope  of  her  citadel,  the  Acrocorinthus, 
reaching  out  her  left  hand,  her  port  town  Lachse- 
um,  to  the  Corinthian  sea,  her  right,  the  port 
town  Cenchraea,  to  the  Saronic  Gulf,  supervised 
and  controlled  the  communication  between  the 
East  and  the  West.  Although  she  looked  out 
upon  no  fertile  lands,  excepting  the  narrow 
plain,  which  gave  rise  to  the  proverbial  expres- 
sion for  great  wealth,  "To  possess  what  lies  be- 
tween Corinth  and  Sicyon,"  the  scene  from  the 
summit  of  the  Acrocorinthus  was  not  a  dull  one. 
On  one  side,  over  across  the  sea,  forty-five  miles 
away,  could  be  seen  the  Acropolis  of  Athens, 
with  the  mountains  of  Attica  and  Boeotia,  and  the 
islands  of  the  Archipelago ;  on  the  other  hand 
were  the  mountains  of  northeastern  Greece, 
"Parnassus  towering  above  Delphi";  just  be- 
low, the  little  plain  resolutely  keeping  the 
waters  of  the  East  and  the  waters  of  the  West 
from  uniting,  the  busy  life  of  the  two  harbors, 
and  the  city  itself,  spread  out  to  view.  Could  a 
city  thus  distinguished  endure  ?  Satisfied,  elated, 
intoxicated,  would  she  not  fall  from  her  regality? 
Her  history  answers.  Though  concerned  in 
many  contests,  with  great  expenditure  of  men 
and  treasure,  its  early  history  had  been  one  of 
general  prosperity,  but  poisoned  with  jealousy 
it  became  inimical  to  both  Athens  and  Sparta,  in 
turn  joining  one  against  the  other,  then  became 
subject  to  the  Macedonian  kings,  and  finally  to 
Rome.  Still,  however,  it  enjoyed  a  measure  of 
supremacy,  being  united  to  the  Achaean  league. 


THE  ACTS.  [Ch.  XVIII. 

In  146  B.  c,  after  the  Romans  were  angered  by 
the  maltreatment  of  certain  ambassadors  who 
were  in  Corinth  for  the  purpose  of  conferring 
with  deputies  from  the  Achaean  league,  the  city 
was  entered  by  Mummius,  and  an  uncalled-for 
and  inexcusable  destruction  ordered.  The 
works  of  art,  many  and  valuable,  were  carried  to 
Rome,  the  males  slaughtered,  the  women  and 
children  sold  as  slaves,  the  city  pillaged  by  the 
soldiery,  and  set  on  fire.  All  rebuilding  on  the 
site,  which  was  accursed  and  dedicated  to  the 
gods,  was  prohibited,  and  "the  eye  of  Hellas" 
was  utterly  extinguished.  After  a  century, 
Julius  Caesar  resolved  to  rebuUd  it,  and  46  b.  c. 
sent  thither  a  colony  of  veterans  and  freedmen, 
among  whom  were  probably  many  of  the  Jewish 
race.  The  city  which  Paul  visited  one  hundred 
years  after  was  not  the  Grecian  Corinth,  but  Cor- 
inth of  Rome,  a  colony  (see  ch.  le :  12,  note),  still  the 
capital  of  Achaia,  and  as  such  the  residence  of 
its  proconsul  Gallio.  In  the  arts  and  literature 
Corinth  had  early  established  her  superiority. 
It  gave  birth  to  painting,  the  most  elaborate 
order  of  architecture  received  from  her  its  name, 
the  finest  bronze  was  the  Aes  Corinthiacum,  and 
here  the  most  beautiful  terra-cotta  vases  were 
sought.  Although  none  of  her  sons  are  men- 
tioned among  the  illustrious  writers  of  Greece, 
poetry  flourished  in  the  early  days  of  the  city. 
It  had  been  pre-eminent,  too,  in  licentiousness ; 
its  patron  goddess  was  Aphrodite,  the  Greek  Ve- 
nus, in  one  of  whose  temples  a  thousand  courte- 
zans were  kept  for  the  service  of  strangers ;  its 
most  famous  monument,  that  to  the  courtezan 
Lais,  who  took  such  sums  from  the  merchants, 
who  came  to  the  city,  as  utterly  to  ruin  them. 
Pausanias,  who  visited  Corinth  in  the  2d  cen- 
tury, describes  the  temples  and  monuments  to 
the  numerous  gods  and  goddesses,  and  espe- 
cially the  famous  fountain  of  Peirene,  which  is 
said  to  have  received  its  waters,  which  were  de- 
licious and  abundant,  by  some  secret  spring  from 
a  fountain  on  the  summit  of  the  Acrocorinthus. 
Nothing  remains  to  us  of  ancient  Corinth  except 
a  few  Doric  columns  in  ruins,  and  some  possible 
remains  of  a  bath  of  Hadrian,  an  amphitheatre  of 
still  later  date.  It  is  now  a  small  unhealthy 
malarious  town  called  Gortho.  For  further  de- 
scription of  place  and  people,  see  Intro,  to  Epis- 
tles to  Corinthians. 

2.  And  found  a  certain  Jew  named 
Aquila.  Of  Aquila  and  Priscilla  we  have  no 
knowledge  outside  the  Scripture  narrative.  From 
the  fact  of  their  holding  Christian  meetings  at 
their  house  both  at  Ephesus  and  Rome  it  has 
been  supposed  that  they  were  persons  of  some 
wealth.  The  Roman  form  of  their  names  may 
have  come,  as  did  Paul's,  from  some  connec- 
tion with  a  Roman  family.  They  accompanied 
Paul  to  Ephesus,  and  there  Aquila  rendered  him 


Ch.  XVIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


201 


3  And  because  he  was  of  the  same  craft,  he  abode 
with  them,  and  '  wrought :  for  by  their  occupation  they 
were  tentmakers. 


4  And  he  reasoned  in  the  J  synagogue  every  sabbath, 
and  persuaded  the  Jews  and  the  Greeks. 

5  And  when  Silas  ^  and  Timotheus  were  come  from 


1  ch.  20  :  34 j  ch.  17  :  2 k  ch.  17  :  14,  16. 


most  important  services.  It  appears  that  Pris- 
cUla  was  a  woman  of  marked  ability,  being  not 
only  mentioned  as  sharing  in  the  hospitality  of 
the  family,  but  also  in  the  theological  instruc- 
tion of  Apollos.  From  the  fact  that  her  name  is 
always  mentioned  first  it  has  been  inferred  that 
she  was  the  more  energetic  of  the  two,  but  it  is  a 
fact  worthy  of  note  that  the  two  are  always  men- 
tioned together,  from  which  we  may  conclude  that 
they  furnish  a  happy  example  of  harmony  and 
sympathy  in  Christian  life. — Born  in  Pontus. 
On  Pontus,  see  ch.  2  :  9,  note. — Lately  come 
from  Italy.  None  other  than  the  ordinary  geo- 
graphical sense  is  meant  by  the  N.  T.  reference 
to  this  country,  which  consisted  of  the  penin- 
sula between  the  Alps  and  the  straits  of  Messina. 
There  are  three,  or  more  properly  four,  references 
in  the  N.  T.  to  it ;  they  Dlustrate  the  military 
relations  of  the  imperial  peninsula  and  the  prov- 
inces (Acts  10 :  i),  the  subsisting  trade  between  the 
peninsula  and  the  Mediterranean  (Acts  27  :  1),  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel  in  the  West  (Heb.  13 :  24),  and 
this  verse  alludes  to  the  large  Jewish  population 
which  from  other  sources  we  learn  it  contained. — 
Because  that  Claudius.  Fourth  Roman  em- 
peror ;  his  full  name  was  Tiberius  Claudius  Nero 
l>aTUs  Germanicus.  He  was  called  from  a  quiet 
and  obscure  life  to  succeed  Caligula  a.  d.  41. 
He  had  been  considered  from  childhood  lacking 
in  intellect,  the  natural  irresoluteness  of  his  cliar- 
acter  had  been  increased  by  contemptuous  treat- 
ment from  his  relatives,  and  harshness  and  cruelty 
from  servants.  The  evil  wrought  during  his  reign 
is  ascribed  to  others  rather  than  to  him,  and  he 
is  said  to  have  been  good  and  honest.  Herod 
Agrippa  the  First,  who  was  concerned  in  nomi- 
nating him  to  power,  received  accessions  of  ter- 
ritory from  the  emperor  in  return.  After  a  weak 
and  foolish  reign  Claudius  was  poisoned  by  his 
fourth  wife,  Agrippina,  the  mother  of  the  infa- 
mous Nero. — Had  commanded  all  Jews  to 
depart  from  Rome.  To  what  decree  refer- 
ence is  here  made  is  uncertain.  There  is  no 
question  that  the  Jews  were  a  general  object  of 
dislike  among  the  Romans ;  they  were  perse- 
cuted by  three  successive  Roman  emperors  ;  see 
ch.  6  :  9,  note.  Suetonius  says  that  Claudius 
drove  the  Jews  from  Rome  because  they  were 
incessantly  raising  tumults  at  the  instigation  of 
a  certain  Chrestus.  Chrestus  was  a  common 
name,  Christus  was  not ;  the  two  were  often 
used  interchangeably ;  the  pronunciation  was 
the  same,  or  nearly  so ;  hence  the  surmise  is 
not  unreasonable  that  Christianity  had  already 


reached  Rome  at  this  time  ;  that  the  Jews  insti- 
gated riots  against  their  Christian  brethren,  as 
in  other  places  in  the  Roman  empire — Corinth 
(ver.  12),  Berea  (ch.  17 :  13),  Thessalonica  (ch.  17 .-  5), 
Iconiura  (ch.  i4  :  19),  Antioch  in  Pisidia  (ch.  13 :  50) ; 
and  that  Suetonius,  who  wrote  half  a  century 
after  the  event,  which  he  dismisses  in  a  sen- 
tence, formed  the  impression  that  this  Christus 
or  Chrestus  was  somehow  responsible  for  the 
outbreaks,  and  therefore  represented  him  as  their 
instigator.  The  decree,  whatever  it  was,  did  not 
remain  long  m  force,  for  we  find  AquUa  not  long 
after  in  Rome  (Rom.  16 : 3),  and  many  Jews  resi- 
dent there  (ch.  28 :  15). 

3,  4.  And  because  he  (Paul)  was  of  the 
same  craft.  I  can  see  no  reason  for  the  surmise 
that  Aquila  and  Priscilla  were  Christians  before 
this  time.  The  language  of  ver.  2,  A  certain  Jew, 
seems  to  me  inconsistent  with  that  opinion  ;  if  pre- 
viously converted,  Aquila  would  have  been  desig- 
nated as  a  certain  brother.  What  brought  Paul 
and  Aquila  together  was  their  common  industry, 
and  the  practical  lesson  drawn  by  Conybeare  and 
Howson  is  legitimate :  "  The  trade  which  St. 
Paul's  father  had  taught  him  in  his  youth  was 
thus  the  means  of  procuring  him  invaluable 
associates  in  the  noblest  work  in  which  man  was 
ever  engaged.  No  higher  example  can  be  found 
of  the  possibility  of  combining  diligent  labor  in 
the  common  things  of  life  with  the  utmost  spir- 
ituality of  mind." — And  wrought,  for  by  oc- 
cupation they  were  tent-makers.  Every  Jew 
was  required  by  Rabbinical  laws  to  teach  his  sons 
a  trade,  that  he  might  be  independent ;  this  was 
rendered  the  more  necessary  since  the  religious 
teachers,  prophets,  scribes,  rabbis,  had  no  state 
pay,  and  nothing  answering  to  the  modern  annui- 
ties often  given  by  government  to  distinguished 
literary  men.  So  Jesus  himself  was  probably 
taught  the  carpenter's  trade  (Mark  c :  3),  and  Paul 
the  trade  of  a  tent-maker.  These  tents  were 
made  of  a  cloth  woven  out  of  goat's-halr,  sup- 
plied by  the  goats  of  Paul's  native  province,  and 
hence  kno^vn  as  Cilicium.  The  same  tents  of 
goat's-hair  are  still  seen  covering  the  plains  of 
Cilicia  in  harvest.  The  use  of  tents  was  then 
and  still  is  very  great  in  the  East,  and  the  busi- 
ness of  manufacture  and  repair  was  and  is  an 
important  one.  "Tent-making  constitutes  an 
important  occupation  in  Western  Asia  at  the 
present  day.  In  all  the  larger  cities,  and  partic- 
ularly at  Constantinople,  there  is  a  portion  of  the 
bazaar,  or  business  part  of  the  town,  entirely 
devoted  to  this  branch  of  industry.    Here  may 


202 


Macedonia,  Paul  was  pressed  in  tiie  spirit,  and  testi- 
fied to  the  Jews  that  Jesus  was  Giirist. 
6  And  when  they  opposed '   themselves,  and  bias- 


THE  ACTS.  [Ch.  XVIII. 

phemed,  he  shook"  his  raiment,  and  said  unto  them, 
Your"  blood  be  upon  your  own  heads:  I  awi  clean: 
from  henceforth  I  will  go  unto  the  Gentiles. 


i  1  Tim.  2  :  25  ....  m  Neh.  6  :  13 ....  n  Ezek.  33  :  4. 


be  seen  men  engaged  in  cutting  and  sewing  can- 
vas, in  constructing  or  finishing  off  tents  of  vari- 
ous forms  and  sizes,  in  mending  and  repairing 
those  long  used,  or  packing  them  up  for  their 
customers.  This  is  what  we  have  described  as 
the  military  tent,  for  the  black  tent  of  the  no- 
mads is  made  exclusively  by  themselves.  But 
the  military  tent  is  not  employed  solely  for  the 
purpose  of  warfare.  The  civiUan  often  carries 
it  with  him  on  his  journey,  and  pitches  it  at 
night ;  it  is  frequently  seen  beside  some  hot 
spring,  whose  sanitary  waters  are  sought  to 
mitigate  the  sufferings  of  the  sick ;  and  one  of 
the  most  refreshing  sights  of  the  advancing 
spring  is  the  herds  of  horses  feeding  on  the  bar- 
ley sown  for  the  purpose  in  the  neighborhood  of 
every  town,  with  the  conical  tents  of  their  keep- 
ers scattered  here  and  there  over  the  valley  or 
plain.  The  apostle  Paul  was  a  tent-maker  (Acts 
18 : 3),  and  the  tents  he  constructed  were  doubt- 
less employed  by  the  Roman  soldiers,  since  no 
military  power  existed  in  his  day  in  the  lands 
where  he  wrought.  The  Roman  tent,  like  the 
Grecian,  is  probably  identical  with  the  tent  still 
used  in  the  same  lands." — {Van  Lennep's  Bible 
Lands,  p.  415.)    Women,  as  well  as  men,  engage 


WOMEN  TVEAVING  TENT-CLOTH. 

in  the  manufacture  both  of  the  cloth  and  of  the 
tents ;  the  cloth  is  used  also  for  garments.  Mr. 
Rawson,  whose  sketch  of  modern  tents  and  tent- 
makers  accompanies  this  note,  informs  me  that 
he  has  a  cloak  made  from  this  cloth  by  an  Arab 


woman.  There  is  no  reason  for  understanding 
by  the  language  here  that  Paul  was  engaged  in 
weaving  the  cloth;  the  natural  meaning  of  the 
original  is  that  conveyed  by  our  English  version, 
which  represents  him  as  a  tent-maker,  employing 
foi-  that  purpose  probably  the  manufactured 
hair-cloth.  It  is,  however,  possible  that  the  raw 
material  was  an  article  of  commerce,  and  that  he 
wove  the  cloth  as  well  as  made  it  into  tents. 
There  was  in  those  days  no  such  division  of  labor 
as  exists  in  our  day.  The  ancient  tent  was  some- 
times made,  as  generally  with  us,  simply  of  can- 
vas or  skin,  stretched  upon  ends,  and  sometimes 
in  whole  or  in  part  of  wood,  and  covered  with 
canvas  or  skins. — And  persuaded  the  Jews 
and  the  Greeks.  Was  persuading  ;  some  mea- 
sure of  success  is  indicated  by  this  word.  The 
Greeks  are  here  the  proselytes,  who  attended  the 
synagogue.    Prominent  among  them  was  Justus 

(ver.  t). 

5.  And  Avhen  Silas  and  Timothens  were 
come  from  Macedonia.  Silas  from  Berea, 
Timothy  from  Thessalonica.  It  is  not  necessa- 
rily implied  that  they  came  together.  Compar- 
ing ch.  17  :  14-16  with  1  Thess.  1  :  1,  2,  I  believe 
the  facts  to  be  that  Timothy  was  sent  back  to 
Thessalonica  from  Berea,  not  from  Athens  ;  that 
Paul,  finding  no  opening  for  his  work  in  Athens, 
proceeded  to  Corinth,  and  that  Timothy  proba- 
bly rejoined  Silas  at  Berea,  whence  they  both 
came  on  to  Corinth  and  rejoined  Paul  there.  For 
other  views,  see  Conybeare  and  Howson,  I  :  406, 
note. — Paul  was  wholly  given  to  the  word. 
The  best  reading  is  to  the  word,  not  in  the  spirit. 
The  meaning  is  not  perfectly  clear.  It  may  indi- 
cate (as  Alford  and  Alexander)  that  Silas  and 
Timothy  found  Paul  "more  than  usually  ab- 
sorbed in  the  work  of  testifying  to  the  Jews,  a 
crisis  in  the  work  being  imminent,  which  result- 
ed in  their  rejection  of  the  word  of  life  ;  "  or  it 
may  mean  (as  Ilackett  and  Robinson)  that  after 
they  came  he  gave  himself  wholly  to  the  word, 
being  relieved  by  the  contribution  which  they 
brought  him  from  the  Macedonian  churches  (2  cor. 
11:9)  from  the  necessity  of  devoting  a  considerable 
part  of  his  time  to  manual  labor,  in  order  to  earn 
his  daily  bread.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  been 
"  in  fear  and  in  much  trembling  "  (1  Cor.  2 : 3),  not 
from  apprehension  of  personal  injury,  but  from  a 
sense  of  his  ovra  weakness  and  inability  to  cope 
with  the  corruption  and  wickedness  which  he  saw 
about  him.  This  experience,  here  and  in  Athens 
(ch.  n  :  16),  indicates  in  Paula  strong  sense  of  need 
of  human  sympathy  and  fellowship,  such  as  is 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


203 


7  And  he  departed  thence,  and  entered  into  a  cer- 
tain man's  house,  named  Justus,  07ie  that  worshipped 
God,  whose  house  joined  hard  to  the  synagogue. 

8  And  Grispus,°the  chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  be- 
lieved on  the  Lord  with  all  his  house  ;  and  many  of  the 
Corinthians  hearing,  believed,  and  were  baptized. 

9  Then  spake  the  Lord  to  Paul  in  the  night  by  a  vis- 
ion, Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy  peace  : 


10  For  I P  am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on 
thee,  to  hurt  thee  :  for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city. 

11  And  he  continued  there  a  year  and  six  months, 
teaching  the  word  ot  God  among  them. 

12  And  when  Gallic  was  the  deputy  of  Achaia,  the 
Jews  made  insurrection  with  one  accord  against  Paul, 
and  brought  him  to  the  judgment  seat. 


o  1  Cor.  1  :  14 p  Matt.  28  :  20. 


often  found  in  strong,  independent,  self-reliant 
natures. — Testifying  to  the  Jews  the  Mes- 
siah Jesus.  Not  merely,  as  in  our  English 
version,  that  Jesus  was  Christ,  but'  the  whole 
truth  respecting  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  how  his 
life  fulfilled  the  prophecies  of  the  O.  T.  concern- 
ing the  Messiah  (see  ch.  is). 

6.  Shaking  his  garments.  Shaking  oflf  the 
dust  as  a  testimony  against  them ;  a  common 
symbolical  act  among  the  Hebrews.  See  ch. 
13  :  51,  and  Matt.  10  :  1-1,  note. — Your  blood 
be  upon  your  own  heads.  Comp.  Ezek. 
33  :  4.  Paul's  act  here  illustrates  the  principle 
laid  down  there.  Contrast  also  Matt.  27  :  2-t. 
Like  Pilate,  Paul  declares  himself  innocent ;  like 
Pilate,  Paul  employs  a  symbol  to  emphasize  his 
declaration.  But  Pilate,  though  he  uses  the 
symbol,  yet  is  in  fact  guilty,  in  that  he  condemns 
the  innocent  to  death ;  Paul  is  guiltless,  in  that 
he  does  not  turn  from  the  Jews  till  they  refuse 
to  hear  his  message  of  salvation. — I  shall 
henceforth,  with  a  pure  conscience,  go  to 
the  Gentiles.  So  Alford.  It  is  literally,  /, 
clean,  henceforth  go,  etc.  Observe  in  this  sentence 
a  hint  of  the  motive  which  led  Paul  always  first 
to  preach  to  the  Jews :  because  he  could  not, 
with  a  good  conscience,  go  to  the  Gentiles  with- 
out first  offering  the  Gospel  to  his  own  people. 
Comp.  Kom.  9  :  1-3 ;  10  : 1. 

7,  8.  And  he  departed  thence.  From  the 
synagogue,  where  he  was  denied  a  hearing. — 
And  entered  into  a  certain  man's  house 
named  Justus.  Not  to  live,  but  to  preach. 
The  fact  that  it  adjoined  the  synagogue  made  it 
convenient  for  this  purpose.  The  implication  is 
that,  as  he  was  preaching,  he  was  vehemently 
interrupted  in  the  service  by  the  outcries  of  the 
Jews,  and  that  he  responded  by  shaking  off  the 
dust  against  them,  referring  to  Ezekiel  33  : 4  in 
a  citation  which  they  would  readily  understand, 
and  departing  immediately  to  the  adjoining 
house — many  of  the  congregation,  perhaps  includ- 
ing the  chief  ruler,  going  out  with  him.  The 
court-yard  of  any  of  the  larger  Greek  houses 
would  afford  a  convenient  place  for  religious  ser- 
vices. Of  Justus  nothing  more  is  known  than 
the  statement  here.  The  Syriac  and  Arabic  ver- 
sions have  Titus,  while  the  Vulgate  combines 
the  two  names,  Justus  Titus.  The  description 
of  him  as  one  that  worshipped  Ood,  indicates  that 


he  was  a  heathen  proselyte,  but  not  necessarily 
at  this  time  a  Christian,  though  sympathizing 
with  Paul  rather  than  with  his  heathen  perse- 
cutors.— And  Crispus.  He  was  baptized  by 
Paul  (i  Cor.  1 :  u)  and  is  said  to  have  subsequently 
become  bishop  of  Egina.  His  name,  which  is 
foreign,  indicates  some  connection  with  heathen 
nationalities  ;  his  office  that  he  was  a  Jew. — The 
chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue.  On  the  con- 
stitution of  the  synagogue,  its  method  of  wor- 
ship and  form  of  government,  etc.,  see  Matt. 
4  :  23,  note.  This  ruler  of  the  synagogue  was 
the  president  of  its  board  of  elders. — With  all 
his  house.  Comp.  ch.  16  ;  15,  34.  Among  the 
believers  were  Gains  and  Stephanas  (i  cor.  i :  u,  ig), 
who,  with  Crispus,  were  baptized  by  Paul's  own 
hand.  The  others  were  baptized  probably  by 
Silas  or  Timothy,  not  by*Paul. 

9-11.  By  a  vision.  That  is,  by  some  super- 
natural appearance  to  him,  though,  very  possi- 
bly, in  a  dream.  Comp.  ch.  27  :  23. — Be  not 
afraid.  Possibly,  after  so  determined  and  bold 
a  renunciation  of  the  Jews,  the  apostle  suffered  a 
reaction,  and  doubted  whether  he  had  not  de- 
stroyed the  hope  of  further  work. — Speak,  and 
hold  not  thy  peace.  The  double  form,  affirm- 
ative and  negative,  adds  emjihasis.  Comp, 
Isaiah  58  : 1 ;  Job  2  :  3.— For  I  am  with  thee. 
Comp.  Jer.  1:8;  Matt.  28  :  20  ;  John  14  :  18-23.— 
Shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee.  So  as  to 
hurt  thee ;  a  promise  fulfilled  in  the  experiences 
which  followed. — I  have  much  people  in 
this  city.  Literally,  There  is  for  me  much  2X0ple 
in  this  city.  Not  many  people  already  conse- 
crated to  God,  but  many  whom  God  recognized  as 
his  ;  and  this  may  imply  either  that  there  were 
many  who  were  appointed  to  become  his  own, 
or  many  in  whom  he  saw  a  preparedness  to  re- 
ceive the  Gospel. — And  he  continued  there 
a  year  and  six  months.  As  the  result  of 
Paul's  labors  at  Corinth,  a  Christian  church  was 
established,  not  only  in  Corinth,  but  also  in  its 
port  town  Cenchrea  (Rom.  le :  i),  and  apparently 
elsewhere  in  Achaia  (2  Cor.  1 : 1).  The  year  and  six 
months  probably  includes  the  whole  of  his  Corin- 
thian ministry,  during  which  time  the  incident 
narrated  in  vers.  12-17  occurred ;  some,  how- 
ever, regard  it  as  extending  only  to  that  inci- 
dent, the  yet  a  good  while  of  ver.  18  indicating  a 
still  further  stay  in  the  city. 


204 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


13  Saying,  This  fellow  persuadeth  men  to  worship 
God  contrary  to  the  law. 

14  And  when  Paul  was  now  about  to  open  his 
mouth,  Gallio  said  unto  the  Jews,  If  it  were  a  matter 
of  wrong,  or  wicked  lewdness,  O  ye  Jews,i  reason 
would  that  I  should  bear  with  you  : 

15  But  if  it  be  a  question  of  words  and  names,  and 


0/  your  law,'  look  ye  to  it ;  for  I  will  be  no  judge  of 
such  matters. 

16  And  he  drave  them  from  the  judgment  seat. 

17  Then  all  the  Greeks  took*  Sosthenes,  the  chief 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  beat  hint  before  the  judg- 
ment seat.     And  Gallio  cared  for  none  of  those  tilings. 

18  And   Paul  after  this  tarried  there  yet  a  good 


q  Rom.  13  :  3 r  chaps.  23  :  29  j  2S  :  11,  19 ;  John  18  :  31  , 


12.  Gallio  being  deputy  of  Achaia.  Pro- 
consul. On  the  difEerence  between  imperial  and 
eenatorial  provinces,  see  ch.  13  :  7,  8,  note. 
Achaia  was  originally  a  senatorial  province,  was 
made  an  imperial  province  by  Tiberius,  remained 
60  under  Caligula,  but  was  restored  to  the  senate 
by  Claudius,  and  was  at  this  time,  therefore, 
governed  by  proconsuls.  Originally  a  narrow 
strip  of  land  in  the  north  of  the  Peloponnesus, 
whose  cities  were  confederated  in  an  ancient 
League,  in  the  N.  T.  Achaia  signifies  the  Roman 
province,  which,  with  Macedonia,  included  all  of 
Greece.  Hence  the  use  of  the  terms  together. 
Gallio,  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  only  here,  was  the 
elder  brother  of  Annteus  Seneca,  the  philos- 
opher ;  his  own  name  was  Annaeus  Novatus,  and 
he  received  the  name  by  which  he  is  known  to 
us,  because  of  his  adoption  into  the  family  of 
Junius  Gallio,  the  rhetorician.  He  died  in  A.  D. 
66,  having,  probably,  but  shortly  before  left 
Achaia  for  a  sea-voyage  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health.  His  brother's  allusions  to  him,  which 
are  exceedingly  affectionate,  indicate  that  he 
was  a  man  of  integrity  and  honesty,  and  beloved 
on  account  of  his  amiability  and  suavity,  and  the 
account  here  is  in  harmony  with  such  a  char- 
acter.— Made  insurrection.  Rather,  made  an 
assault. — With  one  accord.  Indicating  pre- 
concerted action.  The  indications  from  ver.  17 
are  that  Sosthenes  had  replaced  Crispus  as  chief 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  was  a  leader  in  this 
movement. — To  the  judgment-seat.  A  mov- 
able, or  sometimes  a  permanent,  throne  or  chair 
of  state,  used  by  the  emperors  at  Rome,  and  in 
the  provinces  by  the  proconsuls  and  other  chief 
magistrates,  in  administering  justice.  For  illus- 
tration and  description,  see  John  19  :  13,  note. 

13-17.  This  fellow.  Though  the  word  fel- 
low is  not  in  the  original,  the  language  is  that  of 
contempt,  and  is  rightly  represented  in  our  Eng- 
lish version. — Contrary  to  the  law.  The 
same  accusation  had  resulted  in  the  scourging 
and  imprisonment  of  Paul  and  Silas  at  Philippi, 
See  ch.  16  :  21,  note.  But  this  judge  was  a  very 
different  type  of  Roman  from  the  praetors  of  Phi- 
lippi. He  perceived  that  it  was  not  attachment 
to  the  Roman  law  which  had  aroused  the  rage  of 
the  Jews,  and  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  settlement  of  their  own  religious  controver- 
sies. Some  take  the  accusation  as  meaning 
against  the  law  of  Moses,  but  without  good  rea- 


son ;  no  such  complaint  would  be  preferred  by 
Jews  to  a  Roman  magistrate. — If  it  were  a 
matter  of  injustice  (a  plain  violation  of  law, 
infringing  on  the  rights  of  others),  or  wicked 
mischief  (even  a  mischievous  act  of  a  mali- 
cious kind,  not  directly  contravening  any  special 
statute),  reason  would  that  I  should  bear 
with  you.  The  language  is  significant  as  indi- 
cating that  he  was,  as  a  Roman,  impatient  of  the 
contentions  of  the  Jews,  who  already  had  the 
reputation  of  being  a  factious  and  disquiet  peo- 
ple. See  on  ver.  2.  —  Concerning  w^ords. 
Rather  doctrines;  here  Jewish  theology. — And 
names.  To  a  Roman,  the  question  whether 
Jesus  was  the  Christ  would  seem  to  be  a  mere 
question  of  names. — And  your  laws.  Comp. 
Pilate's  action  (john  is  :  so)  and  that  of  Lysias  (Acts 
23 :  29)  and  Festus  (Acts  25  .  2o).  But  Gallio  was  a 
more  courageous  man  than  either  Pilate  or  Fes- 
tus. Moreover,  the  influence  of  the  Jews  at 
Corinth  was  insignificant ;  at  Jerusalem  and 
Csesarea  it  was  all-important  for  the  Roman  ruler 
to  keep  them  at  peace. — I  do  not  wish  to  be 
judge  of  these  things.  Observe,  as  an  indica- 
tion of  the  simple  truthfulness  of  the  narrative, 
that  the  narrator  does  not  hesitate  to  describe 
the  contempt  of  a  Roman  official  for  the  Jewish 
nation  and  the  Christian  cause. — And  he  drave 
them  from  the  judgment-seat.  Not  neces- 
sarily, yet  not  impossibly,  with  force.  —  Then 
all  the  Greeks.  The  word  Greeks,  omitted  by 
Tischendorf  and  Alford,  and  wanting  in  the  best 
MSS.,  is  doubtless  an  addition  by  a  later  hand, 
probably  invented  to  prevent  the  possible  im- 
pression that  the  friends  of  Paul  beat  Sosthenes. 
The  interpolation  probably  correctly  represents 
the  facts.  The  Greeks  took  the  occasion  to  beat 
the  chief  religious  representative  of  the  Jews ; 
a  very  small  occasion  was  sufficient  to  call  into 
action  their  latent  hatred  and  contempt  of  the 
Jewish  people.  The  opinion  advocated  by  some, 
that  he  was  a  Christian  and  beaten  by  the  Jews, 
is  highly  improbable.  A  Sosthenes  of  Corinth  is 
afterward  mentioned  by  Paul  as  a  Christian  (i  cor. 
1  :  1 ),  but  whether  it  is  this  person,  or  another  of 
the  same  name,  we  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
The  name  is  not  an  uncommon  one. — And  Gal- 
lio cared  for  none  of  these  things.  An 
often  misapplied  text.  It  does  not  refer  to  reli- 
gious indifference  to  Christian  truth,  for  there 
is  no  indication  that  any  Christian  truth   was 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


205 


while,  and  then  took  his  leave  of  the  brethren,  and 
sailed  thence  into  Syria,  and  with  him  Priscilla  and 
Aquila  ;  having  shorn  '  his  head  in  Cenchrea  : "  for  he 
had  a  vow. 

ig  And  he  came  to  Ephesns,  and  left  them  there  : 
but  he  himself  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  rea- 
soned '  with  the  Jews. 


20  When  they  desired  him  to  tarry  longer  time  with 
them,  he  consented  not ; 

21  But  bade  them  farewell,  saying,  I  must  by  all 
means  keep  this  feast  that  cometh  in  Jerusalem  : "  but 
I  will  return  again  unto  you,  if''  God  will.  And  he 
sailed  from  Ephesus. 

22  And  when  he  had  landed  at  Caesarea,  and  gone 
up,  and  saluted  the  church,  he  went  down  to  Antioch. 


t  ch.  21  :  24;  Numb.  6  :  18 n  Rom.  16  :  1 . . .  .  v  ch.  17  :  2  . . . .  w  chaps.  19  :  21 ;  20  .  16  . . .  .  x  1  Cor.  4  :  19;  James  4  :  16. 


I 


brought  before  him  ;  he  did  not  even  hear  Paul 
speak ;  but  to  his  indifEerence  to  the  Jewish  ex- 
citement, and  to  the  mob  violence  against  Sos- 
thenes.  With  an  easy  indifEerence  to  anything 
that  did  not  threaten  to  weaken  Koman  authority, 
or  impair  seriously  the  peace  of  the  city,  he  left 
the  Jews  to  settle  their  own  religious  questions 
among  themselves,  and  Sosthenes  to  the  mercies 
of  the  mob. 

18.  Tarried  yet  a  good  while.  Probably 
this  time  is  included  in  the  eighteen  months 
mentioned  in  ver.  11.  See  note  there. — Of  the 
brethren.  Perhaps  leaving  Silas  behind ;  he  is 
not  mentioned  again  in  Acts ;  Timothy  is  next 
mentioned  at  Ephesus,  in  ch.  19  :  22.  —  Unto 
Syria.  In  that  direction;  stopping  at  Ephesus 
on  the  way. — Having  shorn  his  head.  Some 
think  that  it  was  Aquila,  not  Paul,  of  whom  this 
was  said.  The  great  body  of  critics,  however, 
apply  it  to  Paul.  The  other  view  appears  to  be 
an  afterthought,  suggested  by  the  supposed 
incongruity  of  an  O.  T.  vow  entered  into  by  Paul, 
who  so  vigorously  repudiated  the  obligations  of 
the  ceremonial  law.  But  (1)  there  is  no  reason 
why  the  historian  should  mention  Aquila's 
shaving  his  head,  while  this  act  by  Paul  was 
probably  connected  with  his  journey  to  Jerusa- 
lem, where  the  vow  would  require  to  be  perfected 
by  some  sacrifices  in  the  Temple  (see  ch.  21 :  29),  and 
Is  thus  stated  to  explain  his  refusal  to  remain  at 
Ephesus,  and  his  earnestness  to  proceed.  (3.) 
The  form  of  the  sentence  almost  necessarily  con- 
nects the  statement  with  Paul,  not  with  Aquila. 
"There  are  from  verses  18  to  23  inclusive,  no  less 
than  nine  aorist  participles,  eight  of  which  indis- 
putably apply  to  Paul  as  the  subject  of  the  sec- 
tion, leaving  it  hardly  open  to  question  that  the 
participle  having  shorn  must  be  referred  to  him 
also." — {Afford.)  The  vow  here  is  very  gener- 
ally thought  to  be  that  of  the  Nazarite.  The  re- 
strictions of  this  vow  were  threefold.  There  must 
be  entire  abstinence  from  all  strong  drink,  from 
the  juice  of  the  grape,  and  from  everything  be- 
longing to  the  vine.  The  hair  of  the  Nazarite 
was  to  be  permitted  to  grow,  no  razor  touching 
his  head  during  all  the  days  of  his  separation, 
and  he  should  on  no  account  defile  himself  for 
the  dead.  When  the  term  of  the  vow  expired, 
the  Nazarite  brought  a  sin-offering,  a  burnt-offer- 
ing, and  a  peace-ofEering,  with  the  usual  append- 
ages, his  hair  being  shorn  or  shaven,  and  cast  into 


the  fire  which  was  under  the  sacrifice  of  the  peace- 
offerings,  indicating  the  ordinary  state  of  friendly 
communion  with  God.  If  the  vow  here  men- 
tioned was  that  of  the  Nazarite,  Paul  must  have 
shorn,  that  is,  trimmed,  not  shaved  his  head  at 
Cenchrea,  preparatory  to  the  vow,  purposing 
not  to  cut  his  hair  again  till  he  had  fulfilled  the 
vow  by  the  offering  at  Jerusalem,  or  else  the 
obligation  of  the  Nazarite  had  been  changed 
since  O.  T.  times.  The  customary  term  of  the 
Nazarite  vow,  when  not  for  life,  was,  according 
to  the  rabbis,  thirty  days.  The  law  concerning 
it  is  found  in  Numbers,  ch.  6;  Scripture  in- 
stances are  those  of  Samson  (judges  13 : 5),  Samuel 
(1  Sam.  1  :  ii),  and  John  the  Baptist  (Luke  1 :  15). — In 
Cenchrea.  The  eastern  and  most  important 
harbor  of  Corinth,  distant  from  it  about  eight  or 
nine  miles.  A  double  wall,  extending  from  Cor- 
inth to  its  nearest  harbor  Lechaeum,  protected 
the  Corinthian  shore,  and  the  fortifications  at 
Cenchrea  were  of  great  moment  to  the  safety  of 
the  pass  along  the  Saronic  shore.  It  was  a  natu- 
ral harbor,  whOe  Lechseum  was  an  artificial 
one,  and  possessed  a  life  within  itself  which 
the  nearness  of  Corinth  prevented  at  Lechssum. 
Its  idolatry  partook  of  the  same  licentious  char- 
acter as  that  at  Corinth,  and  the  temples  and 
monuments  which  Paul  must  have  seen  are  de- 
scribed by  Pausanias.  There  was  an  organized 
Christian  church  at  Cenchrea  (Rom.  le :  1),  and  tra- 
dition gives  the  name  Lucius  as  that  of  its  first 
bishop,  appointed  by  Paul  himself.  It  is  now 
deserted,  but  the  spot  retains  a  form  of  the  name, 
and  some  ruins  of  its  foundations  remain. 

19-22.  And  he  came  to  Ephesus.  A  voy- 
age of  two  or  three  days.  On  the  place,  see  ch. 
19  : 1,  note,  and  Intro.  toEpis.  to  the  Ephesians. — 
They  desired  him  to  tarry  longer  time 
Avith  them.  The  only  occasion  in  which  he  was 
urged  to  remain  and  preach  the  Gospel  in  the 
synagogue  and  to  the  Jews.  The  vow  that  called 
him  to  Jerusalem  must  have  been  one  of  pecu- 
liar sacredness  in  his  eyes,  to  have  enabled  him 
to  resist  such  a  call. — Saying,  I  must  by  all 
means  keep  this  feast  that  is  coming  in 
Jerusalem.  Tischendorf  omits  these  words, 
and  there  is  some  uncertainty  respecting  them. 
They  are,  however,  retained  by  Olshausen, 
De  Wette,  Meyer,  Alford.  The  feast  was  either 
the  Passover  or  the  Pentecost ;  most  probably 
the  latter.    This  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that 


206 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XVIII. 


23  And  after  he  had  spent  some  time  there,  he 
departed,  and  went  over  all  the  country  of  Gala- 
tia"  and  Phrygia  in  order,  strengthening^  all  the  dis- 
ciples. 

24  And  a  certain  Jew  named  "  Apollos,  born  at  Alex- 


andria, an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in  the  scriptures, 
came  to  Ephesus. 

25  This  man  was  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord  ; 
and  being  fervent''  in  the  spirit,  he  spake  and  taught 
diligently  the  things  of  the  Lord,  knowing  <^  only  the 
baptism  of  John. 


y  Gal.  1  :  2  ....  z  chaps.  14  :  22  ;  15  :  32,  41 a  1  Cor.  1  :  12  ;  3  :  4-6  ;  Titus  3  :  13 b  Rom.  12:11;  James  5  :  16  . , . .  c  ch.  19  :  3. 


navigation  was  not  ordinarily  open  early  enough 
to  make  the  voyage  from  Corinth  possible  in 
time  to  reach  Jerusalem  in  March  or  early  April. 
Observe  that  he  here  postpones  Christian  work, 
in  order  to  get  the  benefit  of  personal  commu- 
nion with  other  Christians,  and  an  opportunity 
for  public  worship.  —  Landed  at  Caesarea. 
For  description  and  illustration  of  Caesarea,  see 
ch.  8  :  40,  note. — And  gone  up  and  saluted 
the  church.  At  Jerusalem.  This  was  stOl 
regarded  as  the  mother  church.  Only  here  could 
he  have  kept  the  feast. — He  went  down  to 
Antioch.  In  Syria,  whence  he  had  originally 
started  (ch.  is :  35, 36).  This  completes  Paul's  sec- 
ond missionary  tour. 

Ch.  18  :  23-28.— PAUL'S  THIRD  MISSIONARY  TOUR. 
HIS  EARLY  MINISTRY  AT  EPHESUS. -God  uses  all 

INSTBUMENTS. 

A.  D.  54.  With  this  verse  begins  the  third 
missionary  tour  of  the  apostle  Paul.  For  its 
general  course,  see  map,  p.  21.  The  first  por- 
tion of  this  tour  we  are  unable  to  trace  with  ac- 
curacy. Paul  began  (autumn,  A.  d.  54),  as  be- 
fore, by  revisiting  the  churches  which  he  had 
previously  founded  in  tha  provinces  of  Galatia 
and  Phrygia  ;  thence,  by  what  route  we  have  no 
means  of  determining,  he  came  to  Ephesus, 
which  was  to  the  province  of  Asia  a  centre,  as 
Athens  and  Corinth  were  to  Greece.  There  he 
remained  for  a  period  of  two  years  and  upward 
(a.  d.  55,  56 ;  see  ver.  10) ;  thence  he  went  into 
Macedonia  and  Greece  (ch.  20 : 2),  probably  revisit- 
ing the  churches  at  Philippi,  Berea,  Thessalonica, 
Corinth,  and  Cenchrea,  perhaps  Athens  also ; 
thence  he  returned,  by  a  route  nearly  every  stage 
of  which  we  can  trace  by  the  geographical  refer- 
ences in  chaps.  20  and  21,  to  Jerusalem.  This 
was  the  end  of  his  third  missionary  journey. 
His  arrest  there  prevented  his  returning  to  the 
point  of  his  departure,  Antioch  in  Syria.  The 
whole  duration  of  this  tour  is  believed  to  be 
about  four  years,  viz.,  from  the  autumn  of  a.  d. 
.54  to  the  summer  or  fall  of  a.  d.  58.  During  this 
tour  he  is  thought  also  to  have  written  the  fol- 
lowing Epistles,  viz.  :  From  Ephesus,  spring,  57, 

1  Corinthians ;    from   Macedonia,    autumn,   57, 

2  Corinthians ;  from  Corinth,  winter,  57,  Gala- 
tians ;  from  Corinth,  spring,  58,  Romans.  See 
Chronol.  Table,  p.  20. 

23.  And  after  he  had  spent  some  time 
there.    There  is  nothing  to  indicate  the  length 


of  time ;  probably  a  few  months.  Conybeare 
and  Howson,  whose  chronology  is  generally  well 
considered,  suppose  that  he  reached  Antioch  in 
the  summer  and  left  in  the  fall  of  a.  d.  54.  On 
Galatia  and  Phrygia,  see  ch.  1()  :  6,  note.  Comp. 
with  this  revisitation  of  the  churches  ch.  15  :  41, 
and  observe  how  Paul  is  not  less  concerned  to 
strengthen  the  saints  than  to  convert  sinners. 

24,  25.  And  a  certain  Jew  named  Apol- 
los. Of  whom  nothing  is  known  besides  the  in- 
formation here  given,  except  the  facts  that  his 
eloquence  attracted  many  at  Corinth  who  would 
fain  have  made  him  the  leader  of  a  Christian  sect 
in  the  church  (1  Cor.  3:6);  that  he  would  not  per- 
mit it,  and,  probably  for  this  reason,  refused  to 
return  to  Corinth,  though  earnestly  urged  to  do 
so  by  Paul  (1  cor.  le :  12),  who  testifies  his  regard 
for  him  in  Titus  3  :  13.  He  is  regarded  by  some 
critics  as  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews.— Born  at  Alexandria.  A  celebrated 
city  and  seaport  of  Egypt,  on  the  Mediterranean, 
twelve  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Nile, 
named  in  honor  of  Alexander  the  Great,  who 
founded  it,  B.  c.  332.  He  selected  it  for  the 
Greek  colony  which  he  proposed  to  found,  from 
the  great  natural  advantages  which  it  possessed, 
and  from  the  admirable  harbor  formed  by  the 
deep  water  between  Rhacotis  and  the  isle  of 
Pharos.  It  was  built  upon  a  strip  of  land  be- 
tween the  sea  and  Lake  Marcotis,  and  connected 
with  the  isle  of  Pharos  by  a  long  mole  nearly  a 
mile  in  length.  Two  main  streets,  240  feet  wide, 
crossing  each  other  at  right  angles  in  the  middle 
of  the  city,  left  a  free  passage  for  the  sea-breezes. 
Though  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.  only  incidentally 
in  the  Book  of  Acts  (chaps.  6 : 9  j  27 :  e),  it  exerted  a 
powerful  influence  on  the  history  of  the  develop 
ment  of  Christianity.  It  was  a  great  literary 
and  philosophic  centre,  was  the  site  of  the  largest 
library  in  the  world,  which  under  Cleopatra  con- 
tained 700,000  volumes,  was  a  mother  of  philoso- 
phy and  arts,  and  was  a  cosmopolitan  city,  in 
which  Greeks,  Egyptians,  and  Jews  had  their 
respective  quarters.  At  this  time  nearly  one- 
third  of  its  population  were  Jews ;  they  had, 
however,  materially  modified  their  religious 
belief,  to  conform  it  to  the  dreamy  philosophy 
of  the  Orient,  which  there  found  a  home.  On 
this  philosophy,  see  John,  ch.  1,  Prel.  Note. 
The  Alexandrian  Jews,  though  more  learned  hi 
foreign  philosophy  than  those  of  Palestine,  or 
even    of   Asia   Minor,  were    despised  by  their 


Ch.  XVIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


207 


26  And  he  began  to  speak  boldly  in  the  synagogue  : 
■whom  when  Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  heard,  they  took 
him  unto  t/tejn,  and  expounded  unto  him  the  way  of 
God  more  '^  periectly. 

27  And  waea  he  was  disposed  to  pass  into  Achaia, 


the  brethren  wrote,  exhorting  the  disciples  to  receive 
him  :  who,  when  he  was  come,  helped  =  them  much 
which  had  believed  f  through  grace  : 

28  P'or  he  mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  <i«£^//ia/ pub- 
licly, shewing  by  e  the  scriptures  that  Jesus  was  Christ. 


d  Heb.  6  :  1 ;  2  Pet.  3  :  18  ....  e  1  Cor.  3  :  6  ....  f  Ephes.  2  :  8  ....  g  John  6  :  I 


brethren,  because  of  their  departure  from  the 
orthodox  faith  of  the  fathers.  Presumptively, 
Apollos  was  a  pupil  of  the  Alexandrian  school,  a 
rhetorician,  who  had  learned,  in  a  very  imperfect 
way,  the  facts  respecting  the  life  of  Jesus.  See 
below. — An  eloquent  man.  This  is  probably 
the  meaning  of  the  original  here,  though  it  may 
also  be  rendered,  a  learned  man. — Mighty  in  the 
Scriptures.  That  is,  in  the  O.  T.  Scriptures. 
Observe,  not  merely  learned  in  them,  but  power- 
ful in  the  use  of  them.  Comp.  3  Tim.  3  :  17. 
One  reason  of  his  power  is  indicated  in  the  next 
verse  ;  he  vfus  fervent  in  spirit,  and  he  taught  out 
of  them  the  things  of  the  Lord.  Comp.  John  5  :  39. 
A  fervent  spirit,  a  good  knowledge  of  the  Bible, 
and  a  search  in  it  always  for  the  things  concern- 
ing Christ,  are  the  elements  that  give  power  in  its 
use.  Observe,  too,  that,  ignorant  as  he  was  in 
almost  the  first  principles  of  Christian  theology, 
he  was  powerful,  through  the  Scriptures. — Was 
instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord.  The 
word  rendered  instructed  {xutuxtto)  literally  indi- 
cates oral  instruction ;  hence,  learning  by  rumor, 
report,  or  hearsay.  Comp.  ch.  21  :  21,  24.  That 
appears  to  be  its  meaning  here.  He  had  heard, 
in  an  imperfect  way,  the  story  of  Christ's  life, 
death,  and  resurrection ;  it  exactly  accorded 
with  the  O.  T.  prophecies  of  the  Messiah  (see  eh. 
3 :  18,  note),  and  without  further  instruction  he  be- 
gan to  preach  to  the  Jews  from  the  O.  T.  that 
the  Messiah  had  come.  But  of  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom,  and  especially  of  the  baptism  which  he 
commanded,  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  (Matt.  28 :  19),  he  knew 
nothing.  He  baptized  simply  as  John,  unto  re- 
pentance from  sin  (Matt.  3:6). — Knowing  only 
the  baptism  of  John.  That  is,  knowing  no 
other  baptism.  He  knew,  probably,  that  the 
Christians  were  baptized,  but  knew  nothing  of 
any  difference  between  their  baptism  and  that 
which  John  employed. 

26-28.  Aquila  and  Priscilla.  Observe,  a 
woman  is  here  the  instructor  of  the  religious 
teacher,  working  equally  with  her  husband  for 
his  enlightenment.  Observe,  too,  that  God,  who 
uses  the  imperfectly  instructed  Apollos  to  preach 
his  Gospel  to  the  Jews,  and  to  aid  the  Gentile 
Christians  in  replying  to  them,  uses  a  layman 
and  his  wife,  tent-makers,  to  instruct  the  learned 
and  eloquent  Apollos. — More  perfectly.  In 
what  respect  is  not  indicated ;  hardly  on  the 
point  of  baptism,  since  the  Christians  at  Ephe- 


sus,  where  Priscilla  and  Aquila  dwelt,  seem  to 
have  been  in  ignorance  on  this  point.  See  ch. 
19  :  3,  4.— Into  Achaia.  See  ch.  18  :  13,  note. 
— He  mightily  convinced.  Or  vehementhj,  as 
in  Luke  33  :  10 ;  the  adverb  indicates  the  charac- 
ter of  his  speech,  as  fervid,  vehement,  impas- 
sioned. With  this  agrees  the  description  of 
Apollos  as  an  eloquent  man,  and  fervent  in  the 
spirit. — The  Jews.  'In  the  controversies  which 
everywhere  took  place  in  the  early  church  be- 
tween the  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts,  and  be- 
tween the  Christians  and  the  Jews,  who  were  at 
first  theu"  bitterest  opponents,  Apollos  was  an 
effective  ally,  by  reason  of  his  knowledge  of 
O.  T.  Scripture,  of  which  the  Gentile  converts, 
and  even  the  proselytes,  were  comparatively  ig- 
norant. His  labors  in  Achaia  appear  to  have 
been  specially  carried  on  in  Corinth,  where  hiS 
learning  and  eloquence,  in  marked  contrast  with 
the  simplicity  of  Paul's  unoratorical  preaching 
(1  Cor.  2 : 1-4),  attracted  many  friends,  who  endeav- 
ored to  organize  a  party  or  sect  under  his  name 

(1  Cor.  1  :  12 ;  3  :  4-6).      ScC  OU  VCr.  24. 

This  "historical  episode,"  as  Meyer  calls  it, 
appears  to  be  introduced  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  what  agencies  were  employed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  promoting  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel.  Preaching  was  not  confined  to  those 
that  were  ordained  by  the  apostles,  nor  even  to 
such  as  were  directly  instructed  in  the  Gospel 
from  the  fountain  head.  The  incident  illustrates 
and  is  partially  parallel  to  Luke  9  :  49,  50.  Comp. 
Rev.  22  :  17,  "Letrhim  that  heareth  say  Come." 
Analogous  to  this  story  of  Apollos  are  some  inci- 
dents in  the  experience  of  modern  missionaries 
in  foreign  lands.  Dr.  Chamberlain,  of  the  Re- 
formed (Dutch)  Mission,  has  narrated  such  an 
one  to  me.  A  Hindoo  purchased  a  Bible  from  a 
native  who  had  bought  it  from  a  mis.sion  station  ; 
the  purchaser  was  converted,  with  his  wife,  by 
reading  the  Bible  ;  they  gathered  the  villagers 
together  and  read  it  aloud  to  them,  organized  a 
quasi  Christian  church,  without,  however,  bap- 
tism or  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  necessity  and  na- 
ture of  which  they  did  not  understand ;  he  be- 
came known  far  and  near  as  "  the  man  with  the 
book."  His  church  some  seven  or  eight  years 
thereafter,  was  found  by  some  missionaries  dur- 
ing a  missionary  journey  through  the  country, 
and  after  being  more  perfectly  instructed  in 
Christian  doctrine,  was  received  by  them  into 
the  visible  "  communion  of  saints." 


208 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  that,  while  Apollos''  was  at 
Corinth,  Paul  having  passed  through  the  upper 
coasts,  came  to  Ephesus ;  and  finding  certain  disciples. 


2  He  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  received  the  Holy- 
Ghost  since  ye  believed  ?  And  they  said  unto  him,  We 
have  not'  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy 
Ghost. 


h  1  Cor.  3  : 4-6 . . . .  i  ch.  8  :  16 ;  1  Sam.  3  :  7. 


Ch.  19  :  1-41.    PAUL  AT  EPHESUS.    The  condition 

AND  THE  CONSUMMATION  OP  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE: 
REPENTANCE  AND  FAITH  IN  CHRIST  ARE  THE  CONDI- 
TIONS ;  THE  RECEIVING  OF  THE  SPIRIT  OF  GOD  IS  THE 

CONSUMMATION  (vers.  1-7)  —Peculiar  exigencies  re- 

<JUIRE  peculiar  powers  ;  GOD  ADAPTS  HIS  GIFTS  TO  OUR 

NEEDS  (vers.  It,  12).— The  work  of  God  and  the  works 
of  darkness  in  conflict  :  Christianity  contrasted 
with  witchcraft  (vers.  13-17).— Genuine  repent- 
ance  IS   APT    to   cost   something   (vcf.   19).— The 

GREATER   THE  GOOD  THE  PIERCER   THE    ENMITY  (VBFS. 

10,  20,  with  26).— Gain  is  not  godliness  (vers.  25-27; 
1  Tim.  6 :  5).— The  twofold  enemy  of  Christianity  : 
worldliness    and    superstition    (ver.    21).  —  God 

RAISES  UP  FRIENDS   AND  DEFENDERS    IN  UNEXPECTED 

PLACES  (vers.  31,  3.5). — The  servant  of  the  Lord 
MUST  not  strive  (ver.  37 ;  2  Tim.  2  :  24). 

A.  D.  54-57.  Paul  probably  arrived  at  Ephe- 
Bus  in  the  winter  of  a.  d.  54  or  the  spring  of 
A.  D.  55,  and  left  in  the  summer  of  a.  d.  57.  See 
Chronol.  Table,  p.  20.  The  episode  related  in 
the  preceding  chapter  probably  occurred  while 
Paul  was  making  the  tour  of  visitation  described  in 
ch.  18 :  23,  Thence,  by  what  route  we  do  not  know, 
he  came  to  Ephesus,  where  he  had  preached  for  a 
single  Sabbath  in  the  synagogue  about  a  year  pre- 
vious, on  his  way  to  Jerusalem  (ch.  is :  is).  The 
incident  narrated  in  verses  1-7  has  given  rise  to 
much  perplexity,  and  not  inconsiderable  contro- 
versy. It  is  foreign  to  my  purpose  to  enter  into 
these  controversies,  or  to  cumber  my  notes  with 
statements  in  detail  of  interpretations  which  seem 
to  me  to  be  forced,  and  invented  for  theological  or 
controversial  reasons.  I  shall,  therefore,  simply 
indicate  what  appears  to  me  to  be  clearly  the 
meaning  of  this  passage,  and  the  lessons  which 
are  evidently  taught  by  it.  Much  of  the  difficulty 
here,  as  elsewhere  in  Acts,  has  been  increased,  if 
not  created,  by  forgetting  the  fact  that  in  this 
early  stage  of  church  history,  neither  doctrine, 
church  order,  nor  church  ceremonials,  had  come 
ir.to  a  definite  system,  such  as  that  in  which  they 
now  exist.  Christianity,  as  a  system,  both  of  doc- 
trine and  order,  was,  as  yet,  growing ;  and  it  is 
not  at  all  surprising  that  Christian  converts 
should  have  got  only  fragments  of  it. 

1.  Having  passed  through  the  upper 
coasts.  The  eastern  parts  of  Asia  Minor,  be- 
yond the  river  Halys,  or  in  that  direction,  are 
here  intended.  See  map,  p.  21.  —  Came  to 
Ephesus.  The  capital  and  most  important  city 
of  the  province  of  Asia — one  of  the  chief  of  the 
free  cities  which  were  the  nucleus  of  the  Ionian 
league — the  emporium  of  the  trade  of  the  East. 


Situated  on  the  projecting  forehead  of  the  penin- 
sula since  known  as  Asia  Minor,  it  was  called 
one  of  the  eyes  of  Asia — Smyrna,  forty  miles  dis- 
tant, being  the  other.  Partly  on  the  ridge  of 
Mt.  Coressus,  partly  on  Mt,  Prion  or  Pion,  and 
partly  on  the  plain  in  the  valley  of  the  river 
Cayster,  from  which  these  eminences  arose,  the 
city  was  built.  This  plain,  about  five  miles  long 
from  east  to  west,  and  three  miles  broad,  was 
bounded  on  three  sides  by  mountains,  and  on  the 
fourth  by  the  Icarian,  one  of  the  divisions  of  the 
.^gean  sea.  The  outer  port  of  the  city  was 
formed  by  the  channel  of  the  Cayster  and  the 
bay  into  which  it  flowed ;  the  inner  port  was  a 
sort  of  lake,  connected  with  the  river,  a  short  dis- 
tance above  its  mouth,  by  a  canal.  The  land 
about  was  low,  the  waters  abundant,  and  marsh- 
es and  lagoons,  and  a  continual  change  of  form 
was  the  consequence.  The  wash  of  the  sea  and 
the  accumulations  of  silt  had  already,  at  the 
time  of  Paul's  visit,  impaired  the  harbor ;  and  its 
subsequent  destruction,  by  the  continuance  of 
the  same  process,  proved  the  death  of  the  town. 
Ephesus  has  scanty  material  for  history.  Found- 
ed by  Androchus,  son  of  Codrus,  Ephesus  was 
the  royal  residence  of  the  Ionian  kings,  was  a 
kind  of  sacred  city,  holding  peculiar  religious 
festivals,  was  successively  under  the  dominion  of 
the  Persian  and  Lydian  kings,  and  came  finally 
under  the  Roman  rule — the  province  of  Asia, 
with  Ephesus  for  its  capital,  being  formed  129 
B.  c.  At  the  time  of  Paul's  stay  there  it  was  a 
free  city  and  assize  town,  with  thriving  com- 
merce and  a  fair  cultivation  of  the  arts  and  liter- 
ature, with  a  fervor  of  idolatry,  and  bewitched 
with  sorcery.  Although  there  are  remains  of 
some  beautiful  buildings,  the  only  ones  which  in- 
terest us  as  students  of  the  Bible  are  the  stadium, 
the  theatre,  and  the  temple.  From  the  ruins  of 
the  edifices  and  the  descriptions  of  contempora- 
neous visitors,  we  have  very  minute  information 
respecting  these  three  buildings.  The  stadium, 
or  circus,  685  feet  long  and  200  wide,  was  the 
arena  of  the  beast  fights,  foot-racing,  wrestling, 
and  pugilistic  combats.  It  lay  at  the  end  of  a  broad 
paved  street,  which  led  off  to  the  north  along  the 
foot  of  Mt.  Coressus.  Out  of  the  hill  itself  the 
seats  on  the  south  were  excavated,  while  those 
on  the  north  were  supported  on  arches.  The 
eastern  end  was  of  circular  form,  like  a  theatre ; 
the  other  extremity  was  built  straight  across, 
with  open  spaces  on  the  north  and  south  for  the 
two  entrances  to  the  stadium.    The  theatre,  ex- 


Ch.  XIX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


209 


cavated  from  the  sloping  Bide  of  Mt.  Coressus, 
looked  toward  the  west,  faced  with  a  portico, 
but,  like  other  ancient  theatres,  without  a  roof. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  the  largest  edifice  of  the 
kind  ever  erected  by  the  Greeks.  It  would  seat 
50,000  people.  From  the  agora  just  below,  the 
crowd  quite  naturally  rushed  into  the  theatre, 
when  matters  came  to  so  serious  a  pass  with  the 
Ephesians  as  to  threaten  an  interference  with  the 
honor  paid  to  the  great  Diana,  and  with  the 
manufacture  of  her  shrines.  But  the  crownmg 
glory  of  Ephesus  was  the  great  temple  of  Arte- 
mis or  Diana,  one  of  the  seven  great  wonders  of 
the  world,  and  whose  magnificence  has  been  a 
marvel  ever  since.  It  glittered  in  briUiant 
beauty  at  the  head  of  the  harbor,  and  it  was  said 
that  the  sun  saw  nothing  in  his  course  more 
magnificent  than  Diana's  temple.  From  the 
earliest  settlement  of  the  city  this  deity  had 
been  honored.  A  temple  reported  to  have  been 
a  grand  one  had  given  place  to  one  yet  more 
grand,  commenced  in  the  Macedonian  period, 
and  reared  amid  the  admiring  Greeks  and  Asiat- 
ics, with  all  the  beauty  which  the  most  noted  ar- 
chitects, aided  by  the  most  skillful  workmen, 
could  produce.  After  the  long  years  spent  in 
its  creation,  it  was  left  but  a  short  time  to  adorn 
the  city.  An  Ephesian,  Herostratus  by  name, 
set  it  on  fire,  and  on  the  birthnight  of  Alexander 
the  Great  it  was  destroyed.  Tradition  says  that 
the  divinity  was  absent  from  Ephesus  superin- 
tending the  advent  of  Alexander,  and  the  tem- 
ple, thus  left  without  a  protector,  was  lost.  But 
the  temple  was  immediately  rebuilt,  with  still 
greater  magnificence.  The  women  contributed 
their  jewels,  and  all  Asia  joined  to  restore  to  its 
idol  a  fitting  home.  Made  of  the  purest  marble, 
upon  substantial  foundations,  which  in  that 
marshy  ground  were  at  once  costly  and  essen- 
tial, it  confronted  the  mariner  immediately  at 
the  landing-place.  It  was  425  feet  long,  and  220 
broad ;  its  columns,  of  Parian  marble,  were  60 
feet  high,  and  36  of  them  were  magnificently 
carved.  The  porticos  in  front  and  rear  consisted 
each  of  32  columns,  8  abreast  and  4  deep,  and 
around  the  sides  were  two  rows,  the  entire  num- 
ber of  columns,  127,  being  given  each  one  by  a 
king.  Before  entermg  the  temple  the  worship- 
pers must  purify  themselves  at  the  lavatory  in 
front.  The  great  doors  were  of  carved  cypress, 
with  jambs  of  marble,  and  an  enormous  transom 
of  a  single  blocli,  so  immense  that  it  is  a  marvel 
how  it  could  have  been  put  in  its  place.  A 
legend  says  that  the  architect  despaired  of  rais- 
ing it,  but  while  he  slept  the  goddess  herself 
lifted  it,  and  the  stone  was  found  properly  ad- 
justed in  the  morning.  The  hall  was  adorned 
with  the  most  wonderful  statuary  and  paintings, 
the  works  of  Polycletus,  of  Phidias,  and  other 
famous  sculptors,  the  masterpiece  of  Calliphon, 


and  the  greatest  of  all,  Alexander  the  Great, 
painted  by  Apelles.  This  last  cost  $35,000,  equiv- 
alent, Chandler  says,  to  $193,250  at  the  present 
day.  In  the  centre  of  the  court,  under  a  roof  of 
cedar  supported  by  eight  columns  of  green  jas- 
per— now  in  the  mosque  of  St.  Sophia  at  Con- 
stantinople— was  the  altar,  rich  with  the  carv- 
ings of  Praxiteles.  Around,  hung  the  gifts  of 
devotion  from  the  rich  and  the  poor,  and  beyond 
the  altar  hung  the  purple  veil  which  concealed 
the  deity  worshipped  by  "all  the  world."  The 
goddess  herself,  the  object  of  all  this  magnifi- 
cence, was  a  very  unattractive  image,  made  of 
wood,  so  timewom  that  its  kind,  whether  vine, 


TEMPLE  OF  DIANA  (from  an  ancient  coin). 

cedar,  or  ebony,  cannot  be  told,  with  a  staff  or 
trident  in  each  hand,  the  upper  part  of  the  body 
covered  with  paps,  the  emblem  of  fecundity, 
the  lower  part,  a  block  or  pyramid  upside  down, 
covered  with  rude  carvings  (see  ver.  35).  Behind 
the  shrine  was  an  apartment  for  the  safe-keep- 
ing of  the  treasures  of  nations  and  rulers.  So 
great  was  the  veneration  of  the  people,  that  no 
one  would  have  dared  to  venture  into  this  safe, 
much  less  disturb  anything  there.  To  go  to  the 
roof  of  the  temple,  a  staircase  ascended,  which 
was  made  of  the  wood  of  a  single  vine  from  Cy- 
prus. From  the  comer  of  the  roof  Mithridates 
shot  the  arrow  to  mark  the  boundary  of  the 
sanctuary  or  asylum  of  the  temple,  "and  the 
shaft  went  to  the  length  of  more  than  a  fur- 
long." The  attendants  on  the  temple  were 
many,  including  eunuchs  under  a  high-priest,  a 
host  of  virgins,  and  a  great  number  of  slaves  (see 
ver.  31,  note).  The  sacrcd  emblem  of  Diana  was  a 
bee,  and  the  priestesses  were  called  Mellissae 
(bees).  The  city  was  personified  as  a  devotee  of 
Diana,  and  boastfully  exhibited  on  her  coins  "iVe- 
ocoros,''^  or  '^temple-sweeper  "  (see  ver. 35, note).  Eph- 
esus was  a  hotbed  of  sorcery.  The  incantations 
used  there  had  a  wide  reputation  as  Ephesian 
charms  (see  ver.  13,  note).  The  remains  of  Ephesus 
are  partly  covered  with  rubbish,  and  overgrown 
with  vegetation.  They  have  been  visited  by 
many  travelers,  and  the  ruins  are  full  of  interest 
to  antiquarians.  The  site  is  now  an  utter  deso- 
lation.   Lewin  says  that  in  1862  he  could  not  even 


^10 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


3  And  he  said  unto  them,  Unto  what  then  were  ye  I  they  should  believe  on  him  which  should  come  after 
baptized  ?    And  they  said,  Unto '  John's  baptism.  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus. 

4  Then  said   Paul,  John"  verily  baptized  with  the  ""        '•-— '        J  -"---  *'  '      ':—- ■  :-  -•-_ 
baptism  of  repentance,'  saying  unto  the  people,  that 


5  When  they  heard  tkts,  they  were  baptized  in  the 
name™  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


j  ch.  18  : 1 


, .  k  Matt.  3:11 1  John  1  :  15,  27,  30 m  ch.  8  :  16  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  13. 


find  a  hut  on  the  site  of  the  capital  of  Asia.  The 
only  inhabitants  within  her  walls  were  the  beasts 
oi  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air. 

And  finding  certain  disciples.  Not  Jews 
(as  Conybeare  and  Howaon),  nor  disciples  of  John 
the  Baptist  (as,  apparently,  Baumgarten),  nor  men 
so  calkd  because  they  acknowledged  tlie  name  cf  Christ 
as  soon  as  it  was  made  known  to  them  {Hackett) ;  all 
these  interpretations  are  results  of  an  attempt  to 
get  rid  of  the  implication  that  one  could  be  a  dis- 
ciple and  not  know  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  they 
take  from  the  incident  one  of  its  chief  lessons, 
viz.,  that  a  genuine  discipleship  is  not  inconsist- 
ent with  great  spiritual  ignorance.  One  may  be 
a  pupil,  and  yet  at  the  beginning  know  httle  or 
nothing.  That  these  were  Christian  disciples  is 
evident  from  (1)  the  word  here  used  {/.lucptiTi'ig), 
■which  is  never  employed  in  the  N.  T.  except  to 
designate  Christian  disciples ;  (2)  from  Paul's 
distinct  recognition  of  them  as  believers  (ver.  2), 
i.  e.,  evidently  believers  in  Christ.  Nor  is  there 
any  reason  to  suppose  that  these  disciples  were 
strangers  who  had  just  arrived  at  Ephesus,  a 
purely  gratuitous  surmise.  The  unquestioned 
facts  in  the  case  are  these  :  Paul  coming  from 
Corinth,  from  six  to  nine  months  before,  stopped 
at  Ephesus,  and  preached  one  sermon  in  the  syna- 
gogue, produced  a  favorable  impression,  but 
declined  to  remain  (ch.  is  :  19-21).  If  we  take 
his  sermon  at  Antioch  in  Pisidia  (ch.  13)  as  a 
type  of  his  preaching  to  the  Jews,  and  it  is  the 
only  fuUy  reported  sermon  to  his  own  country- 
men which  we  possess,  he  did  not  undertake  to 
set  the  whole  Christian  system  before  them, 
but  simply  the  truths,  (1)  that  Jesus  is  the  Mes- 
siah; (2)  that  through  him,  by  repentance,  is 
remission  of  sins;  nothmg  was  probably  said 
about  the  Trinity,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
form  or  nature  of  Baptism,  or  church  order  or 
organization.  Having  planted  this  seed,  the 
apostle  departed.  He  was  followed  by  Apollos  ; 
but  Apollos  knew  the  facts  of  Christianity  only 
by  rumor,  and  very  imperfectly  (ch.  is :  24-28),  and 
nothing  concerning  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
or  the  nature  of  Christian  baptism.  Was  this 
knowledge  imparted  to  these  Ephesian  Chris- 
tians by  AquDa  and  Priscilla  ?  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  it  was ;  in  a  city  of  so  many  thousand 
inhabitants  they  may  have  never  met,  or  even 
heard  of  these  strangers  from  Corinth.  Moreover, 
there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  the  latter  were 
Christian  teachers,  or  had  acquired  anything  more 
than  the  rudiments  of  Christianity.  There  is  no 
distinct  statement  even  of  their  conversion  in 


ch.  18 ;  or  that  they  went  to  Ephesus  as  mission- 
aries, rather  than  for  the  purposes  of  their  trade, 
which  originally  brought  them  and  Paul  together 
(ch.  IS :  2,  note).  And  it  is  evident  from  1  Corin- 
thians, chaps.  1,  2,  3,  that  Paul's  preaching  in 
Corinth  was  of  the  simplest  description ;  he  told 
the  story  of  the  cross,  nothing  else,  and  he  bap- 
tized only  three  or  four  disciples  (1  cor.  1 :  14-16 ; 
2:2;  3:1,2,  etc.).  That  there  was  at  this  time  no 
Christian  church  in  Ephesus  is  indicated  by 
the  fact  that  Paul  preached  in  the  synagogue 
(ver.  s).  I  beUeve,  then,  that,  as  a  result  of  the 
preaching  of  Paul  and  Apollos,  a  few  Jews  had 
accepted  the  truth  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah, 
and  had  been  baptized  as  a  symbol  of  repentance, 
perhaps  by  Apollos,  certainly  with  a  baptism  like 
that  of  John;  that  insomuch  as  they  accepted 
Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  they  are  recognized  as  dis- 
ciples, i.  e.,  pupils,  though  ignorant  of  some  of 
the  fundamental  principles  of  Christian  theol- 
ogy ;  that  they  received  no  further  instruction 
from  Apollos,  who  proceeded  immediately  to 
Greece,  nor  from  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  who  were 
not  rabbis,  and  had  no  opportunity  to  teach 
what  they  knew,  publicly,  in  the  synagogue,  and 
who,  for  aught  that  appears  in  the  narrative, 
had  never  met  these  disciples,  and  were,  as  yet, 
imperfectly  instructed  themselves. 

2.  Did  ye  receive  the  Holy  Ghos^t  Avhen 
ye  believed  ?  This  is  a  better  rendering  than 
our  English  version.  So  Alford,  Hackett,  Alexan- 
der. — We  did  not  hear  whether  there  be 
any  Holy  Ghost.  That  is,  nothing  was  said 
about  it  at  the  time  of  our  conversion  and  accept- 
ance of  Christianity.  They  believed  that  Jesus 
was  the  promised  Messiah;  but  the  further 
truth  that  another  Comforter  had  come,  who  was 
given  for  light  and  life  to  aU  that  would  receive 
him  (ch.  2 :  3s,  39),  they  had  heard  nothing  of.  The 
church  still  contains  many  Ephesian  Christians, 
who  believe  in  God  the  Father,  and  Christ  as  the 
Redeemer,  but  not  practically  in  a  Holy  Spirit, 
on  whom  they  may  daily  and  hourly  rely,  and  in 
whose  inspiration  and  guidance  there  is  perfect 
liberty.  They  have  accepted  the  doctrine  of 
repentance,  baptism,  and  the  remission  of  sins ; 
but  they  have  not  gone  on  to  receive  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

3,  4.  Into  what  (eig)  were  ye  baptized  ? 
Christ  had  commanded  his  disciples  to  baptize 
into  the  name  (fie  r6  ovojxa)  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  (Matt,  as :  19). — Into 
John's  baptism.  That  is,  into  the  baptism 
which  he,  and,  after  him,  his  disciples,  adminis- 


Ch.  XIX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


211 


6  And  when  Paul  had  laid  "  his  hands  upon  them,  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  on  them  ;°  and  they  spake  with 
tongues,  and  i"  prophesied. 

7  And  all  the  men  were  about  twelve. 

8  And  he  went  into  the  synagogue,  and  spake  bold- 
ly for  the  space  of  three  months,  disputing,''  and  per- 
suading ■■  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God. 


9  But  when  divers  were  hardened,'  and  believed 
not,  but  spake  evil '  of  that "  way  before  the  multitude, 
he  departed  "  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples, 
disputing  daily  in  the  school  of  one  Tyrannus. 

10  And  this  continued  by  the  space*  of  two  years: 
so  that  all  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia"  heard  the  word 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks. 


n  ch.  8  ;  17 o  chaps.  2:4;  10  :  46  ...pi  Cor.  14  :  I,  etc q  ch.  18  :  19 r  ch.  28  :  ?3 s  Rom.  11:7;  Heb.  3  :  13 t  2  Tim.  1  :  16  • 

2  Pet.  2:2;  Jude  10 u  verse  23 v  1  Tim.  6:6 w  ch.  20  :  31 x  ch.  20  :  18. 


tered,  the  nature  of  which  is  here  explained,  as 
a  baptism  of  repentance.  See  below.  On  John's 
baptism,  see  Matt.,  ch.  3,  notes,  and  Luke  3 : 1-18, 
notes. 

5-7.  When  they  heard  this,  they  were 
baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
This  has  been  interpreted  for  controversial  rea- 
sons as  a  part  of  PauUs  speech,  as  though  he 
said,  They^  John's  auditors,  when  they  heard  this, 
his  prophecy  of  a  coming  Messiah,  ivere  baptized 
into  the  name  of  Je.sus.  This  interpretation  is 
manifestly  false,  since  when  John  preached  and 
baptized,  he  did  not  at  first  even  know  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah,  and  never  baptized  in  his  name. 
It  is  pronounced  by  Hackett  as  now  obsolete. 
Paul's  re-baptism  of  these  Ephesian  converts 
affords  no  authority  for  re-baptizing  those  who 
have  received  Christian  baptism.  Whatever 
ground  there  may  be  for  that  practice,  it  is  not 
sustained  by  Paul's  example  here,  since  the  rea- 
son why  he  re-baptized  was  not  an  error  or  infor- 
mality in  the  previous  baptism,  but  the  fact  that 
that  baptism  was  not  into  Jesus  Christ,  and 
therefore  not  into  covenant  relations  with  the 
Triune  God. — The  Holy  GJiost  came  upon 
them.  There  is  nothing  in  this  language  incon- 
sistent with  the  opinion  that  they  had  been  pre- 
viously converted  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  On  the  meaning  of  the  phraseology,  see 
ch.  8  :  17,  no'te,  where  also  is  discussed  laying  on 
of  hands. — All  the  men  were  about  twelve. 
Apparently,  they  were  all  men.  Of  their  pre- 
vious and  subsequent  history  nothing  is  known  ; 
and  nothing  of  their  character,  except  what  can 
be  deduced  from  the  language  of  the  historian 
here.  From  their  ignorance  concerning  the 
Holy  Ghost,  whose  presence  and  influence  is  a 
matter  of  O.  T.  teaching,  it  is  surmised  that  they 
were  of  GentUe  rather  than  of  Jewish  extrac- 
tion ;  but  this  is  far  from  certain. 

While  it  is  true  that  this  episode  suggests 
' '  many  questions,  the  solution  of  which  our  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  the  first  Christian  age  has  put 
beyond  our  reach  "  (Hackett),  it  teaches  very  plain- 
ly some  very  important  truths.  (1.)  The  personal- 
ity of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  language  of  the  narra- 
tive, especially  verse  2,  is  hardly  consistent  with 
the  view  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  only  an  imperson- 
al, divine  influence.  (3.)  The  nature  of  Christian 
baptism.  This  is  not  a  mere  symbolic  act  by 
which  the  recipient   publicly  confesses  his  sins 


and  his  acceptance  of  Jesus  as  the  Christ.  It 
also  symbolizes  the  mutual  act  of  God  and  man, 
by  which  the  latter  is  received  into  covenant 
with  the  Father,  has  his  sins  washed  away 
through  the  Son,  and  receives,  as  the  principle  and 
power  of  his  future  life,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Corap.  ch.  2  :  88.  (3.)  The  nature  of  Christian 
experience.  This  is  not  merely  repentance  and 
acceptance  of  Christ.  It  is  consummated  only 
by  the  reception  of  a  personal,  present,  and  con- 
tinuous gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  power  of  a 
new  life,  to  be  maintained  in,  with,  and  by  God, 
in  which  we  have  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God, 
being  brought  into  his  likeness  by  his  indwelling. 
Comp.  Rom.  7:6;  12  :  2 ;  1  Cor.  1:9;  2  :  12 ; 
12  :  13  ;  2  Cor.  3  :  18  ;  Ephes.  4  :  U.  And  ob- 
serve the  importance  which  Paul  attaches  to  this 
aspect  of  Christian  experience,  in  that  he  ad- 
dresses to  these  disciples  at  once  the  question 
whether  they  have  received  this  consummating 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  not  without  signifi- 
cance that  it  is  for  the  Ephesian  church  he  sub- 
sequently lifts  up  the  prayer  of  Ephes.  3  :  18-21. 
8,  9.  Concerning  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Thus  his  theme  here,  as  at  Thessalonica  (ch.  n  :  7, 
note),  was  the  same  as  that  of  John  the  Baptist 
and  of  Jesus  (Matt.  3 : 2 ;  4 :  17).  To  the  Jews  he 
spoke  of  that  kingdom  of  God  which  all  the  Jews 
throughout  the  world  were  expecting. — Spake 
evil  of  that  Avay  before  all  the  multitude. 
Public  debate  with  open  enemies  of  the  grace  of 
God  is  rarely  profitable.  Paul  eschewed  it. 
Comp.  ch.  18  :  6. — School  of  one  Tyrannus. 
Of  him  nothing  is  known.  He  may  have  been 
the  teacher  of  a  Jewish  school,  such  as  was  gen- 
erally organized  in  every  city,  often  in  connec- 
tion with  the  synagogue ;  or  a  Greek  sophist  con- 
verted to  Christianity  through  the  labors  of 
Paul,  and  gladly  allowing  his  school  of  philoso- 
phy or  rhetoric,  to  be  converted  into  a  school  of 
Christ ;  or  the  founder  of  a  school,  whose  build- 
ing, hired  by  Paul  for  a  preaching-place,  still 
bore  his  name  ;  and  this  last  hypothesis  seems  to 
me  the  most  probable.  The  reason  assigned  by 
Baumgarten  appears  conclusive  against  the  first 
hypothesis:  "But  what  consistency  was  it  to 
depart  from  the  synagogue,  on  account  of  the 
general  prevalence  of  unbelief  in  it,  and  to  char- 
acterize it  as  an  unclean  place  for  the  disciples 
to  frequent,  and  thereupon  to  pass  at  once  into  a 
Rabbinical  school?"    The  reference  to  one  Ty- 


212 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


11  And  God  wrought  special^  miracles  bj'  the  hands 
of  Paul :  ,       .  , 

12  So  that  from  his  body  were  brought  unto  the  sick 
handkerchiefs^  or  aprons,  and  the  diseases  departed 
Irom  them,  and  the  evil  spirits  went  out  of  them. 


13  Then  certain  of  the  vagabond  Jews,  exorcists, 
took  upon  them"  to  call  over  them  which  had  evil 
spirits  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  saying,  We  adjure •> 
you  by  Jesus,  whom  Paul  preacheth. 


y  Mark  16  :  20 z  ch.  5  :  15 . 


,  Mark  9  :  38  ;  Luke  9  :  49 b  Josh.  6  :  26. 


rannus  appears  inconsistent  with  the  second 
opinion ;  if  converted  to  Christianity,  he  would 
have  been  designated  as  a  believer. 

10-12.  And  this  continued  by  the  space 
of  tAVO  years.  During  this  time  Paul  wrote 
1  Corinthians  (i  Cor.  le :  8, 9) ;  it  is  probable  also 
that  at  this  time  the  church  at  Colossse  was 
formed,  not  directly  by  Paul,  but  by  one  of  the 
disciples,  named  Epaphras  (coi.  1 : 7).  Churches 
appear  also  to  have  been  organized,  probably  at 
this  time,  at  Laodicea  and  Hierapolis  (coi.  4 :  13, 15, 
16).  Out  of  this  ministry  may  also  have  grown 
other  of  the  seven  churches  in  Asia,  mentioned  in 
Rev.,  chaps.  1-3.  Paul's  address  to  the  elders  of 
the  Ephesian  church  (ch.  20 :  17-35)  gives  us  a  definite 
and  graphic  picture  of  his  ministry  during  these 
two  years. — Special  miracles.  Literally,  un- 
common powers^  i.  e.,  uncommon  signs  of  power. 
Ephesus  (see  above)  was  a  centre  of  magic  and 
witchcraft,  as  well  as  of  idolatry  ;  and  as  Moses 
wrought  special  miracles  to  break  down  the 
power  of  the  magicians  and  sorcerers  of  Egypt, 
so  here  was  given  to  Paul  special  power  to  break 
the  bonds  which  enthralled  this  superstitious 
people.  It  is  notable  that  Luke  makes  little 
account,  generally,  of  the  miracles  wrought  by 
the  apostles,  sometimes  not  even  mentioning 
them.  Thus,  but  for  2  Cor.  13  :  13,  we  should 
not  know  that  Paul  wrought  any  miracles  in 
Corinth. — Handkerchiefs  or  aprons.  The 
former  are  his  handkerchiefs,  with  which  he  had 
wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow ;  the  latter  are 
the  aprons  which  he  had  worn  in  his  daily  toil, 
by  which,  la  Ephesus  as  in  Corinth,  he  main- 
tained himself  (ch.  20 :  34).  Thus,  as  Baumgarten, 
"the  thought  is  both  natural  and  obvious  that 
in  these  working  garments,  in  this  pouring  out 
of  his  sweat,  the  people  saw  and  reverenced  the 
plenitude  of  infinite  love  and  power,  which  had 
shone  forth  in  the  apostle  Paul."  In  respect  to 
these  miracles  observe  (1)  that  they  were  excep- 
tional, and  not  numerous  ;  this  is  implied  by  the 
phrase  "special  miracles,"  and  by  the  considera- 
tion that  Paul  could  hardly  have  possessed  an 
unlimited  supply  of  handkerchiefs  and  aprons; 

(2)  that  they  required  a  special  act  of  faith  in  the 
healed,  or  their  friends,  since  the  garments  of 
the  apostle  were  sent  for  and  carried  away,  and 
that  thus  the  case  is  dtfiferent  from  that  recorded 
in  ch.  5  :  15,  where,  as  I  believe  (see  note  there), 
no  healing  was  wrought  by  the  shadow  of  Peter ; 

(3)  that  the  only  analogous  N.  T.  miracle  is  that 
of  the  woman  healed  of  an  issue  of  blood  by 


touching  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment  (Mark  5 :  24-34, 
notes) ;  hence  the  skepticism  respecting  the  ac- 
count here  is  hardly  fairly  dealt  with  by  the 
commentators,  since  it  is  founded,  not  on  the  im- 
possibility of  God's  working  by  what  instruments 
he  will,  but  on  the  fact  that  he  in  no  other  au- 
thenticated instance  wrought  miracles  in  this 
way,  while  the  method  here  described  has  cer- 
tain at  least  external  resemblances  to  the  legen- 
dary accounts  of  cure  by  relics,  etc.  ;  (4)  that  the 
true  answer  to  this  objection  is  that  the  circum- 
stances were  special  and  called  for  special  mea- 
sures, that  only  special  miracles  could  have  had 
the  effect,  which  by  Paul's  ministry  was  pro- 
duced, to  suppress  magical  arts  and  abate  idola- 
trous worship  (vers.  19, 26) ;  (5)  that  the  incident 
here  gives  no  countenance  to  relic  worship  or 
the  legendary  miracles  alleged  to  have  been 
wrought  by  relics ;  rather  the  reverse ;  for  the 
reason  stated  by  Alford  :  "  In  no  cases  but  these 
do  we  find  the  power,  even  in  the  apostolic  days ; 
and  the  general  cessation  of  all  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  would  lead  us  to  the  inference 
that  these,  which  were  even  then  the  rarest, 
have  ceased  also." 

13.  Certain  of  the  vagabond  Jews,  ex- 
orcists. Though  Ephesus  was  a  Greek  city, 
the  manners  of  its  inhabitants  were  half  Orien- 
tal. The  image  of  its  tutelary  goddess  resem- 
bled an  Indian  idol,  its  religion  was  intermixed 
with  Asiatic  superstition ;  it  was  thus  the  centre 
both  of  an  Oriental  philosophy  and  the  practice 
of  witchcraft.  Mysterious  symbols,  called  Ephe- 
sian letters,  were  employed  to  charm  away  evil 
spirits,  either  by  being  pronounced  by  the 
charmer,  or  written  upon  parchment  or  en- 
graved upon  stone,  and  so  employed  as  an  amu- 
let. The  study  of  these  symbols  was  an  elabo- 
rate science,  and  books  both  numerous  and 
costly  were  compiled  by  its  professors.  These 
magical  arts  were  practised  by  not  a  few  of  the 
Jews ;  the  very  severity  with  which  the  O.  T. 

forbids    such    practices  (Exod.  22  :  is  ;  Lev.  20  :  27  ;  Deut. 

18 :  10, 11 ;  1  Sam.  28 : 3, 9)  indicates  a  national  tendency 
toward  them.  The  Talmud  and  Josephus  give 
evidence  of  a  continuance  of  these  practices  at  a 
later  period,  as  do  references  in  Paul's  epistles 
(Gal.  5 :  20 ;  2  Tim.  3 :  13).  A  knowledge  of  magic  was 
a  requisite  qualification  of  a  member  of  the  San- 
hedrim, that  he  might  be  able  to  try  those  who 
were  accused  of  employing  it,  and  the  art  was 
believed  among  the  Jews  to  have  been  derived 
from  King  Solomon.    The  instruments  employed 


Ch.  XIX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


213 


14  And  there  were  seven  sons  of  one  Sceva,  a  Jew, 
and  chief  of  the  jjriests,  which  did  so. 

15  And  the  evil  spirit  answered  and  said,  Jesus  I 
know,  and  Paul  1  know  ;  but  who  are  ye? 

16  And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was,  leaped  "= 
on  thera,  and  overcame  them,  and  prevailed  against 
them,  so  that  they  fled  out  of  that  house  naked  and 
wounded. 

17  And  this  was  known  to  all  the  Jews  and  Greeks 
also  dwelling  at  Ephesus;  and  fear"*  fell  on  them  all, 
and  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  was  magnified. 

18  And  many  that  believed  came,  and  confessed,' 
and  shewed  their  deeds. 


19  Many  of  them  also  which  used  curious  arts 
brought  their  books  together,  and  burned  them  before 
all  men  :  and  they  counted  the  price  of  them,  and 
found  //  fifty  thousand //>;:«  of  silver. 

20  So  mightily  grew'  the  word  of  God,  and  pre- 
vailed. 

21  After  e  these  things  were  ended,  Paul  purposed  in 
the  spirit,  when  he  had  passed  through  Macedonia  and 
Achaia,  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  saying.  After  I  have  been 
there,  I  must  also  see  Rome.'' 

22  So  he  sent  into  Macedonia  two  of  them  that  min- 
istered unto  him,  Timotheus  and  Erastus : '  but  he  him- 
self stayed  in  Asia  for  a  season. 


.  ...d  Luke  1  :65;   chaps.  2:43;  6:  6,  n....e  Matt.  3:6;   Rom.  10:  10....f  ch.  12:24...  g  Gal.  2:  l....h  Rom.  15:  23-28. 
i  Rom.  16  :  23  ;   2  Tim.  4  :  20. 


in  its  practice  were  chiefly  fumigations,  incanta- 
tions, use  of  certain  herbs,  and  the  employment 
of  charms,  written  or  spoken.  The  exorcists  here 
mentioned  treated  the  name  of  Jesus  as  such  a 
charm,  the  mere  pronunciation  of  which  they 
thought  would  have  power  to  expel  evil  spirits. 
Thus  they  classed  Paul  with  themselves,  and 
Christianity  with  magic.  Their  action  indicates 
a  certain  degree  of  sincerity  in  their  superstition ; 
they  were  given  over  to  believe  a  lie  (2  Thess.  2:11); 
while  the  language  of  ver.  18  indicates  that  they 
were  also  consciously  guilty  of  fraud,  and,  in  the 
event  which  followed,  publicly  confessed  it.  On 
ancient  magic,  see  further  chaps.  8  :  9,  note ; 
13  :  6,  note. 

14-20.  Seven  sons  of  one  Sceva.  Men- 
tioned only  here.  Nothing  more  is  known  of 
him.  It  is  not  certain  that  he  resided  at  Ephe- 
sus because  his  sons  did  so,  nor  whether  he  had 
been  one  of  the  chief  priests,  that  is,  chief 
of  the  twenty-four  priestly  courses  at  Jerusa- 
lem, or  was  an  apostate  Jew  and  was  one  of  the 
priests  of  Diana.  The  Greek  word  rendered 
chief-priest  was  not  only  in  general  use  among 
the  heathen,  but  occurs  repeatedly  on  coins  and 
in  other  inscriptions  relating  to  the  worship  of 
Diana  at  Ephesus. — Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul 
I  know.  Two  different  Greek  verbs  are  ren- 
dered by  the  same  English  verb  know ;  it  may 
be  rendered,  /  know  who  Jesus  is,  and  as  for  Paul 
I  am  well  acquainted  with  him. — Naked  and 
wounded.  Not  literally  nude,  but  partially 
stripped  of  their  raiment ;  perhaps  here,  as 
elsewhere,  of  the  cloak  or  outer  garment.  The 
best  manuscripts  indicate  that  only  two  of  the 
sons  were  engaged  in  this  unsuccessful  attempt 
at  exorcism. — The  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
was  magnified.  See  Matt.  5  :  16.  There  is  no 
ground  for  Olshausen's  remark,  "  This  proceed- 
ing served,  as  one  would  expect,  greatly  to  raise 
the  reputation  of  St.  Paul."  It  was  the  Master, 
not  the  servant,  who  was  magnified. —  Many 
that  believed.  The  context  would  seem  to 
indicate  here  that  belief  in  these  magical  arts  is 
intended;  but  the  phrase,  when  used  as  here 
without  qualification,   always   indicates  in  the 


N.  T,  belief  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  implication  of 
the  narrative,  then,  is  that  many  of  the  Ephesian 
Christians  continued  their  belief  in  and  practice 
of  heathen  magic,  and  that  the  sons  of  Sceva 
endeavored,  like  Simon  Magus  (ch.  8 :  le,  19),  to 
employ  the  power  of  Christianity  for  their  own 
benefit. — And  confessed.  Not  their  sins  in 
general,  but  their  participation  in  magical  arts. 
— Many  also  of  them  Avhich  used  curious 
arts.  The  many  of  ver.  18  are  the  dupes,  those 
who  had  consulted  the  wizards ;  the  many  of 
ver.  19  are  the  wizards  themselves.  —  Fifty 
thousand  pieces  of  silver.  That  is,  drachms, 
equivalent  to  between  $8,000  and  $10,000.  This 
burning  is  very  different  from  and  gives  no  war- 
rant for  the  burning  of  heretical  books  by  the  Ko- 
man  Catholic  church  ;  in  the  one  case,  the  books 
are  burned  voluntarily  by  the  owners,  in  the 
other  in  spite  of  the  owners. 

21,  22.  After  he  had  passed  through 
Macedonia  and  Achaia.  For  account  of 
the  execution  of  this  purpose,  see  ch.  21. — 
I  must  also  see  Rome.  This  purpose  was 
executed,  but  in  a  manner  very  different  from 
that  anticipated  by  the  apostle  ;  he  went  to  Jeru- 
salem, was  there  arrested,  and  sent  as  a  prisoner 
to  Rome.  The  object  of  his  visit  to  Jerusalem 
was  probably,  as  before  (ch.  18 :  21),  to  attend  one 
of  the  feasts  and  to  report  to  the  Christian 
church  the  result  of  his  mmistry  •,  incidentally 
also  to  carry  thither  collections  from  the  richer 
churches  of  Asia  Minor  and  Greece  (1  cor.  I6 : 1-4) ; 
the  object  of  his  visit  to  Rome  was  not  to  see  the 
imperial  city,  but  to  have  spiritual  communion 
with  the  few  converts  there  gathered  (Rom.  1 : 9-12). 
—So  he  sent  into  Macedonia  tAVO,  etc.  One 
of  the  many  incidental  confirmations  of  the 
authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Acts  is  afforded  by 
a  comparison  of  the  language  here  with  1  Cor. 
16  :  8-10  and  with  Rom.  1  :  13 ;  1.5  :  33-28.— 
Erastus.  Probably  a  deacon  or  attendant  of 
Paul's  at  Ephesus,  mentioned  again  as  at  Corinth 
in  2  Tim.  4  :  20 ;  not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
treasurer  of  the  city  of  Corinth  mentioned  in 
Rom.  16  :  23.  That  an  attendant  upon  Paul  at 
Ephesus  could  have  gone  forward  into  Greece  to 


214 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  XIX. 


25  And  the  same  time  there  arose  no  small  stir  J 
about  that  way. 

24  For  a  certain  man  named  Demetrius,  a  silver- 
smith, which  made  silver  shrines  for  Diana,  brought 
no  small  i"  gain  unto  the  craftsmen  ; 

25  Whom  he  called'  together  with  the  workmen  of 
like  occupation,  and  said.  Sirs,  ye  know  that  by  this 
craft  we  have  our  wealth. 

26  Moreover,  ye  see  and  hear,  that  not  alone  at  Eph- 
esus,  but  almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul  hath 
persuaded  and  turned  away  much  people,  saying  that™ 
they  be  no  gods,  which  are  made  with  hands : 


27  So  that  not  only  this  our  craft  is  in  danger  to  be 
set  at  nought ;  but  also  that  the  tem^jle  of  the  great 
goddess  Diana  should  be  despised,"  and  her  magnifi- 
cence should  be  destroyed,  whom  all  Asia  and  the 
world"  worshippeth. 

28  And  when  they  heard  these  sayings^  they  were 
full  of  wrath.P  and  cried  out,  saying,  Great  is  Diana  of 
the  Ephesians ! 

29  And  the  whole  city  was  filled  with  confusion  :  and 
having  caught  Gaiusi  and  Aristarchus,'  men  of  Mace- 
donia, PauPs  companions  in  travel,  they  rushed  with 
one  accord  into  the  theatre. 


j  2  Cor.  1:8;  6  :  9. . .  .k  ch.  16  :  16-19 


Vh 


1  Rev.  18  :  11. 
-.60  :  38 


..m  Ps.  115  :  4;  Isa.  44  :  10-20....n  Zeph.  2:  II....0  1  John  6  :  19;  Rev.  13  :  8... 
Rom.  16  :  23  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  14. . .  .r  Col.  4  ;  10. 


prepare  the  way  for  Paul's  ministry  and  have 
been  straightway  made  chamberlain  of  the  city 
of  Corinth,  is  highly  improbable. — But  he  him- 
self stayed  in  Asia.  Some  critics  (.see  Cony- 
beare  and  Howson)  suppose  that  Paul  made  a 
short  visit  to  Corinth  at  this  time,  referred  to  in 
2  Cor.  12  :  li ;  13  :  1,  where  he  speaks  of  coming 
to  them  a  third  time.  On  this  doubtful  ques- 
tion, see  notes  there. 

23-27.  About  that  way.  The  way  of  the 
Lord,  the  Gospel  (ch.  9 : 2,  note). — Demetrius,  a 
silversmith,  Avhich  made  silver  shrines. 
Small,  portable  images  or  models  of  the  temple 
of  the  Ephesian  Diana.  Similar  images  are 
found  on  the  coins  of  many  cities.  It  was  the 
custom  to  carry  these  shrines  on  journeys  and 
military  expeditions,  and  set  them  up  as  objects 
of  worship  in  private  dwellings ;  the  material 
might  be  wood,  gold  or  silver ;  the  manufactur- 
ing of  them  furnished  an  extensive  and  profitable 
traffic,  visitors  to  Ephesus  taking  them  away  as 
sacred  memorials  of  their  visit.  Of  Demetrius 
nothing  more  is  known.  It  is  evident  from  the 
account  here  that  he  was  a  wholesale  dealer  and 
gave  employment  to  various  workmen.  The 
word  rendered  gain  should  rather  be  rendered 
work  or  employment. — Whom  he  called  to- 
gether with  the  workmen  of  like  occu- 
pation. The  craftsmen  (ver.  24)  are  probably  his 
own  workmen ;  the  workmen  of  like  occupation 
are  probably  others  engaged  in  the  manufacture, 
either  of  other  memorials,  or  amulets,  connected 
with  the  worship  of  Diana,  or  those  not  in  the 
employ  of  Demetrius,  but  engaged  either  in  the 
same  work,  or  in  getting  out  the  rough  material 
for  the  shrines.  All  the  men  pecuniarily  inter- 
ested in  maintaining  the  worship  of  Diana  were 
brought  together  on  this  occasion.  —  Almost 
throughout  all  Asia.  An  indication  of  the  ex- 
tent of  the  efEect  of  Paul's  labors.  Comp.ver.  10. 
— That  they  be  no  gods  which  are  naade 
with  hands.  An  indication  of  the  character 
of  Paul's  preaching.  Comp.  ch.  17  :  23-25,  29. 
But  see  below  on  ver.  37.  While  the  higher 
heathen  philosophy  taught  that  the  images  were 
only  intended  to  represent  the  gods  to  the  imagi- 
nation, the  superstitious  and  ignorant  then,  as 


now,  regarded  the  idols  themselves  as  deities. 
^Not  only  this  our  craft  is  in  danger,  but 
even  that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess 
Diana  should  be  despised.  Diana,  the 
Latin  name  for  the  Greek  Artemis  is  here  used 
for  the  tutelary  deity  of  the  Ephesians,  an  Arte- 
mis quite  unlike  the  Greek  divinity,  and  more 
nearly  resembling  Astarte.  Her  worship  was 
said  to  have  been  established  at  Ephesus  by  the 
Amazons,  and  the  Greeks  on  coming  to  Ionia, 
fancying  some  points  of  resemblance  between 
this  Asiatic  divinity  and  their  own  Artemis,  in- 
vested her  with  some  of  her  peculiarities  and 
gave  it  her  name.  She  was  the  goddess  of  pro- 
ductiveness, and  was  represented  with  a  mural 
crown,  many  breasts,  a  bar  of  metal  or  sort  of 
trident  in  each  hand,  and  the  lower  part  of  the 
body  a  mere  "pyramid  upside  down,"  covered 
with  figures  of  mystical  animals.  There  was 
nothing  attractive  or  impressive  in  this  rude, 
mummy-Uke  figure,  but  the  very  contrast  to  her 
magnificent  temple  (see  oa  ver.  1),  added  to  the 
superstitious  devotion  to  this  image. — Whom 
all  Asia  and  the  w^orld  Avorshippeth.  An 
extravagant  expression,  yet  with  some  ground 
of  truth  ;  the  temple  had  been  built  at  the  com- 
mon expense  of  all  the  Greek  cities  in  Asia,  and 
pilgrims  repaired  thither  from  all  nations  and 
countries. 

28,  29.  And  cried  out.  Were  crying  out; 
the  imperfect  tense  indicates  continuous  action. 
Probably  at  first  a  tumultuous  procession  marched 
through  the  streets  of  the  city  swelling  their 
ranks  by  this  war-cry,  "Great  is  Diana  ot  the 
Ephesians."  The  mob  having  been  thus  suflB- 
ciently  aroused,  Paul's  traveling  companions 
were  seized  and  a  rush  was  made  for  the  theatre, 
which  in  the  Greek  cities  was  used  for  public 
gatherings  as  well  as  for  sports. — Gains  and 
Aristarchus.  Of  Gai^ls  nothing  more  is  known. 
He  is  not  the  Gains  of  ch.  20  :  4,  who  was  of  Der- 
be,  nor  the  Gaius  of  Rom.  16  :  23  and  1  Cor.  1 :  14, 
who  was  evidently  a  Corinthian.  Aristarchus 
was  from  Thessalonica  (ch.  20 :  4),  sailed  with  Paul 
to  Rome  (ch.  27 : 2)  and  in  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Co- 
lossians  (4 :  10)  is  mentioned  as  a  fellow-prisoner, 
and  in  his  epistle  to  Philemon  (ver.  24)  as  a  fellow- 


Ch.  XIX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


215 


30  And  when  Paul  would  have  entered  in  unto  the 
people,  the  disciples  suffered  him  not. 

31  And  certain  ot  the  chief  of  Asia,  which  were  his 
friends,  sent  unto  him,  desiring »/»//«  that  he  would  not 
adventure  himself  into  the  theatre. 

32  Some'  therefore  cried  one  thing,  and  some  an- 
other :  for  the  assembly  was  confused :  and  the  more 
part  knew  not  wherefore  they  were  come  together. 


33  And  they  drew  Alexander  out  of  the  multitude, 
the  Jews  putting  him  forward.  And  Alexander  "  beck- 
oned with  the  hand,  and  would  have  made  his  defence 
unto  the  people. 

34  But  when  they  knew  that  he  was  a  Jew,  all  with 
one  voice,  about  the  space  of  two  hours,  cried  out, 
Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  ! 


»  ch.  21  :  12 t  ch.  21  :  34 . . . .  u  1  Tim.  1  :  20  ;  2  Tim.  4  :  14. 


laborer. —  With  one  ac- 
cord into  the  theatre. 

The  theatre  of  the  ancients 
was  usually  semi-circular 
in  form  and  open  to  the 
air  ;  the  seats  were  ranged 
around  m  tiers  one  above 
another,  and  the  perform- 
ances took  place  on  a  stage 
level  with  the  lowest  seats 
on  the  straight  side  of  the 
building.  Thus  it  resem- 
bled the  modern  hippo- 
drome rather  than  the 
modem  theatre.  The  re- 
mains of  the  theatre  here 
mentioned  are  still  extant 
and  attest  its  vast  dimen- 
sions and  convenient  situa- 
tion. See  further  on  ver.  1. 
The  temple  of  Diana  could 
be  seen  from  it  across  the 
market-place. 

3o,  31.  Paul  Avould  have  entered  in. 
To  rescue  his  traveling  companions,  or  to  share 
their  danger.  This  slight  incident  is  very  signifi- 
cant of  his  character. — Certain  of  the  chief  of 
Asia.  Literally,  Asiarchs.  These  were  officers, 
elected  by  the  cities  of  the  province  of  Asia,  to  pre- 
side over  their  games  and  religious  festivals.  Each 
town  chose  one  of  its  wealthiest  citizens,  and  out 
of  the  number  thus  chosen  ten  were  selected  for 
this  honored  office.  Such  an  Asiarch  is  men- 
tioned by  Eusebius  as  presiding  at  the  martyr- 
dom of  Polycarp.  The  Ephesian  games  in  honor 
of  Diana  took  place  in  the  month  of  May,  which 
was  consecrated  to  the  glory  of  the  goddess,  and 
was  named,  in  her  honor,  Artemision.  "Receiv- 
ing no  emolument  from  their  office,  but  being 
required  rather  to  expend  large  sums  for  the 
amusement  of  the  people  and  their  o-\vn  credit, 
they  (the  Asiarchs)  were  necessarily  persons  of 
wealth.  Men  of  consular  rank  were  often  will- 
ing to  receive  the  appointment,  and  it  was  held 
to  enhance  the  honor  of  any  other  magistracies 
with  which  they  might  be  invested.  They  held 
for  the  time  a  kind  of  sacerdotal  position ;  and 
when,  robed  with  mantles  of  purple  and  crowned 
with  garlands,  they  assumed  the  duty  of  regu- 
lating the  great  gymnastic  contests  and  control- 


THEATBE  AT  EPHESU8. 

ling  the  tumultuary  crowd  in  the  theatre,  they 
might  literally  be  called  the  'chief  of  Asia.'  "— 
( Conyheare  and  Howson.)  That  Paul  should  have 
secured  the  friendship  of  one  of  these  Asiarchs 
is  a  remarkable,  but  not  an  incredible  circum- 
stance. God  raises  up  friends  for  his  people 
where  they  are  needed.  To  this  incident  of  the 
presence  of  his  traveling  companions  in  the  the- 
atre Paul  perhaps  refers  in  1  Cor.  4  :  9. 

33-34.  Most  part  knew  not  wherefore 
they  were  come  together.  They  had  rushed 
into  the  theatre  by  a  common  impulse,  the  mob 
swayed,  as  is  common,  by  a  few  master  minds, 
without  knowing  the  object  or  occasion  of  the 
concourse.— And  they  put  forward  Alexan- 
der out  of  the  multitude,  the  Jews  putting 
him  forward.  Fearful  lest  the  mob,  which  is 
always  unreasonable,  should  direct  its  fury 
against  them,  the  Jews  put  forward  one  of  their 
number  to  defend  them,  probably  to  explain 
that  they  were  not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
Christians.  It  is  not  improbable  that  this  Alex- 
ander is  the  coppersmith  mentioned  by  Paul  in 
2  Tim.  4  :  14,  and  was  one  of  the  "  workmen  of  like 
occupation  "  of  ver.  25,  and  hence  likely  to  have 
considerable  influence  with  his  guild.  This, 
which  is  the  view  of  Alexander,  Hackett,  Olshau- 


216 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XIX. 


35  And  when  the  town-clerk  had  appeased  the  peo- 
ple, he  said,  Ve  men '  of  Ephesus,  wnat  man  is  there 
that  knoweth  not  how  that  the  city  of  the  Ephesians  is 
a  worshipper  ot  the  great  goddess  Diana,  and  of  the 
image  which  fell  down  from  Jupiter  ? 

36  Seeing  then  that  these  things  cannot  be  spoken 
against,  ye  ought  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do"  nothing 
rashly 

37  For  ye  have  brought  hither  these  men,  w^hich  are 
neither  robbers"  of  churches,  nor  yet  blasphemers  of 
your  goddess. 


38  Wherefore  if  Demetrius,  and  the  craftsmen  which 
are  with  him,  have  a  matter  against  any  man,  the  law 
is  open,  and  there  are  deputies:  let  them  implead  one 
another. 

39  But  if  ye  inquire  any  thing  concerning  other  mat- 
ters, it  shall  be  determined  in  a  lawful  assembly. 

40  For  we  are  in  danger  to  be  called  in  question  for 
this  day's  uproar,  there  being  no  cause  whereby  we 
may  give  an  account  of  this  concourse. 

41  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  dismissed  the 
assembly." 


T  Ephes.  2:12 w  Prov.  14  :  29 x  ch.  25  :  8 y  2  Cor.  1  :  8-10. 


een,  and  others,  seems  to  me  far  more  probable 
than  that  suggested  by  Meyer  and  Alford,  that 
he  was  a  Christian,  put  forward  by  the  Jews 
maliciously,  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  mob's  at- 
tack. The  mob  had  already  in  their  hands  two 
of  Paul's  traveling  companions  (ver.  29),  and  it  is 
not  probable  that  a  third  would  have  ventured 
into  the  mob,  where  Alexander  was. — Would 
have  made  his  defence.  Defence  for  him- 
self and  his  nation. — Ail  witii  one  voice  for 
about  tiie  space  of  two  liours  cried  out, 
saying,  Great  is  Diana  of  tlie  Ephesians. 
This  was  itself,  according  to  the  Oriental  ideas 
prevalent  at  Ephesus,  an  act  of  worship.  See 
Matt.  6  :  7 ;  1  Kmgs  18  :  26.  The  Jews  were  rec- 
ognized enemies  of  image  worship,  and  the  mob 
was  in  no  mood  to  hear  from  them. 

35-37.  The  town-clerk.  Rather,  The  secre- 
tary. The  original  {yQu^manvc),  like  our  word  sec- 
retary, is  a  word  of  various  meanings,  used  to  char- 
acterize officers  of  very  different  rank.  The  title 
appears  on  coins  of  Ephesus,  and  in  such  con- 
nection with  the  title  Asiarch  as  to  suggest  a 
quasi  religious  office.  The  secretary  of  the 
Greek  cities  kept  the  records  of  the  public  as- 
semblages and  read  the  laws  in  the  public  gath- 
erings of  the  people ;  was  present  when  money 
was  deposited  in  the  temple ;  and  received  and 
opened  letters  addressed  to  the  city.  That  this 
man  was  one  of  no  inconsiderable  influence  and 
authority  is  evident  from  the  narrative  here. — 
Had  appeased  the  people.  Bather  quelled 
them;  i.  e.,  by  his  appearance  and  the  mere 
weight  of  his  authority. — He  said.  "The  speech 
is  a  pattern  of  candid  argument  and  judicious 
tact.  He  first  allays  the  fanatical  passions  of  his 
listeners  by  a  simple  appeal.  Then  he  bids  them 
remember  that  Paul  and  his  companions  had  not 
been  guilty  of  profaning  the  temple  or  calum- 
nious expressions  against  the  goddess.  Then  he 
points  out  that  the  remedy  for  any  injustice  was 
amply  provided  by  the  assizes,  or  by  an  appeal 
to  the  proconsul.  And  finally  he  reminds  them 
that  such  an  uproar  exposed  them  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  Roman  government." — (Cony- 
beare  and  Hoioson.) — The  city  of  the  Ephe- 
sians is  a  worshipper  of  the  great  god- 
dess Diana.    The   term  here  rendered  wor- 


shipper (vetoxd^oc,  neocoros)  is  literally,  temple-keep- 
er- or  temple-sweeper;  bi^^o  exact  equivalent  can 
easily  be  found  for  it  in  any  single  English  word 
or  phrase.    The  title  is  found  in  the  inscriptions 


IMAGE  OF   DIANA, 

on  Ephesian  coins.  It  was  a  title  of  honor  given 
to  any  city  noted  for  the  worship  of  a  particular 
deity  in  whose  honor  it  had  constructed  a  well- 


Ch.  XX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


217 


CHAPTER   XX. 

AND  after  the  uproar'  was  ceased,  Paul  called  unto 
him.  the  disciples,  and  embraced  ikem,  and  de- 
parted for  to  go  ^  into  Macedonia. 


2  And  when  he  had  gone  over  those  parts,  and  had 
given  them  much  i"  exhortation,  he  came  into  Greece, 

3  And  there  abode  three  months.  And  when  the 
Jews  laid  wait<^  for  him,  as  he  was  about  to  sail  into 
Syria,  he  purposed  to  return  through  Macedonia. 


z  ch.  19  :  40 . . . .  a  1  Cor.  16  :  6  j  1  Tim.  1:3 b  1  Thess.  2  :  3,  11 ....  c  chaps.  23  :  12  ;  25  :  3  ;  2  Cor.  11  :  i 


known  temple.  Originally  an  expression  of  hu- 
mility, signifying  literally  temple-sweeper,  and  ap- 
plied to  the  verger  or  sexton  of  the  temple,  it 
became  an  honorable  appellation,  coveted  by  the 
greatest  cities. — Which  fell  down  from  Ju- 
piter. "Like  the  Palladium  of  Troy,  like  the 
more  ancient  Minerva  of  .the  Athenian  Acropolis, 
like  the  Paphian  Venus,  dV  Cybele  of  Pessinus, 
like  the  Ceres  in  SicUy  mentioned  in  Cicero,  it 
was  believed  to  have  fallen  down  from  the  sky." 
— {Conyheare  and  Howson.)  The  origin  of  this 
legend  may  possibly  be  traced  to  the  fall  of  some 
remarkable  meteoric  stones. — Seeing  these 
things  are  indisputable.  The  real  difficulty 
was  that  they  were  not  indisputable ;  and  a  se- 
cret sentiment  of  doubt  angered  the  people 
against  the  men  who  impugned  their  religion, 
and  consequently  endangered  the  fame  and 
traffic  of  their  city.  Assurance  of  faith  always 
produces  calmness,  and  religious  phrensy  is 
generally  a  sign  of  unconscious  skepticism. — 
Neither  sacrilegious.  So  WicklifEe  renders 
it.  The  apostle  had  not  in  any  way  profaned 
the  temple. — Nor  yet  blasphemers  of  your 
goddess^  i.  e.,  evil  speakers  against  her.  An  indi- 
cation of  the  character  of  Paul's  preaching.  He 
had  preached  an  affirmative  Gospel — the  unity 
and  spirituality  of  the  Godhead — as  in  Athens ; 
he  had  not  held  up  to  derision  or  contempt  even 
the  superstitious  worship  of  the  Ephesians — a 
lesson  to  religious  controversialists  in  our  own 
day. 

38-41.  And  the  craftsmen  that  were 
with  him.  His  workmen,  or  possibly  the  guild 
to  which  he  belonged,  and  of  which,  in  this  mat- 
ter, he  was  a  leader. — The  law  is  open  and 
there  are  deputies.  Rather,  The  courts  are  in 
session  and  there  are  proconsuls.  On  the  office  of 
proconsul,  see  ch.  13  :  7,  note.  At  certain  times 
of  the  year,  fixed  by  the  proconsul,  the  people  of 
each  Roman  province  assembled  in  the  chief 
town  of  the  district,  in  a  conventus.  The  holding  of 
such  a  convention  was  expressed  by  the  phrase, 
conventus  agere  (equivalent  to  dyoQuioi  uyorrai 
here).  At  such  a  conventus,  litigants  applied  to 
the  proconsul,  who  selected  a  number  of  judges 
from  the  conventus  to  try  the  cause  or  causes,  he 
himself  presiding  at  the  trials  and  pronouncing 
the  sentence.  The  deputies  {avipvnurui)  here  are 
either  the  proconsuls,  or  possibly  the  judges 
selected  by  him  for  the  trial  of  causes,  and  the 
language  implies  that  such  a  conventus  was  now 
actually  in  session  at  Ephesus. — If  ye  enquire 


anything  concerning  other  matters.  That 
is,  if  the  public  welfare,  not  private  interests,  are 
threatened,  so  that  it  cannot  be  left  to  a  lawsuit. 
— It  shall  be  determined  in  a  lawful  as- 
sembly. Which  this  was  not.  It  was  neither 
regularly  called,  nor  legally  organized  ;  and  was 
quite  incompetent  for  the  legal  transaction  of 
business.  Such  assemblies  {ixxlrjalu),  answer- 
ing somewhat  to  an  American  town-meeting, 
were  either  regular  or  special,  the  former 
being  held  at  stated  times,  the  latter  on  special 
occasions  of  extreme  importance,  by  special 
call.  The  former  were  entitled,  as  here,  laivful 
assemblies  (vo|Ui|Uo?  iy.i<Xi]oLu),  and  to  these  regu- 
lar meetings  of  the  people  for  the  transaction  of 
local  business,  the  secretary  here  alludes.  If 
Demetrius  has  a  private  grievance,  he  can  lay  it 
before  the  courts — the  conventus  even  now  in  ses- 
sion ;  if  the  matter  concerns  the  public,  it  should 
be  brought  before  one  of  the  stated  assemblages 
of  the  people ;  in  neither  case  is  there  any  justifi- 
cation for  a  mob — this  is  the  alternative  put  by 
the  speaker  to  the  people. — To  be  called  in 
question.  By  the  Roman  government,  which 
did  not  tolerate  tumultuous  assemblages  of  any 
kind,  in  the  subjugated  provinces,  and  punished 
participation  in  them  with  death.  The  hint  \/a8 
therefore  significant. 


Ch.  20  !  1-36.  PAUL  LEAVES  EPHESUS  ;  JOURNEY  TO- 
WARD JERUSALEM.  A  PBonTrvE  Church  service 
(vers.  7-12).  —  A  pictttre  op  apostolic  life  and 
LABORS  (vers.  17-35).— The  essential  characteris- 
tics OF  A  S0CCESSFUI,  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRT. 

A.  D.  57,  58.  Paul  leaves  Ephesus  in  the 
spring  of  a.  d.  57,  spends  the  summer,  fall  and 
early  winter  in  Macedonia  and  Greece,  leaving 
Corinth  toward  spring,  reaching  Philippi  in  Pass- 
over week,  March,  A.  d.  58,  and  thence  going  up 
to  Jerusalem,  reaching  it  in  time  for  the  feast  of 
the  Pentecost.  For  diary  of  this  journey,  see 
ver.  6,  note. 

1,  2.  After  the  uproar  was  ceased.  Not 
merely  an  indication  of  time ;  Paul  waited  until 
the  disturbance  was  at  an  end,  both  that  he  might 
not  seem  to  be  a  fugitive,  and  also  that  he  might 
assure  himself  of  the  safety  of  the  church. — 
Embraced  them.  Not  literally ;  the  verb 
simply  signifies  saluting,  either  in  welcome  or 
farewell. — Into  Macedonia.  Where  were  the 
churches  of  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  and  Berea. 
For  description  of  the  province,  see  ch.  16  :  9, 
note. — And  when  he  had  gone  over  these 


318 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XX. 


4  And  there  accompanied  him  into  Asia,  Sopater  of 
Berea  ;  and  of  the  1  hessalonians,  Aristarchus ''  and 
Secundus ;  and  Gaius  of  Derbe,  and  Timotheus ;°  and 
of  Asia,  Tychicus'  and  Trophimus.s 

5  These  going  before,  tarried  for  us  at  Troas. 

6  And  we  sailed  away  from  Philippi  after  the  days'" 


of  unleavened  bread,  and  came  unto  them  to  Troas'  in 
five  days  •  where  we  abode  seven  days. 

7  And  upon  the  first'  day  of  the  week,  when  the  dis- 
ciples came  together  to  break  bread,''  Paul  preached 
unto  them,  ready  to  depart  on  the  morrow ;  and  con- 
tinued his  speech  until  midnight. 


cb.  19  :  29 e  ch.  16  :  1 f  Epbes.  6  :  21 ;  Col.  4  :  7;  2  Tim.  4:  12;  TiUis  3  ;  12 g  ch.  21  :  29 ;  2  Tim.  4  :  20 h  Eiod.  23  :  16 

1  2  Tim.  4  :  13 j  1  Cor.  16:2;  Rev.  1  :  10. . .  .k  ch.  2  :  42.  46 ;  1  Cor.  10  :  16  j  11  :  20-34. 


parts  *  *  *  he  came  into  Greece.  This 
word  occurs  only  here  in  the  N.  T.  It  is  the 
name  given  by  the  Romans  to  the  country  called 
Hellas,  whose  boundaries  it  is  somewhat  diffi- 
cult precisely  to  fix.  It  did  not  include  Pelopon- 
nesus and  extended  only  to  the  fortieth  degree 
of  latitude— not  including  Epirus.  It  is  here 
used  as  opposed  to  Macedonia,  and  equivalent  to 
Achaia.  He  delayed  on  the  way  some  time  at 
Troas  waiting  for  Titus  (2  Cor.  2 :  12, 13) ;  full  of  anx- 
iety because  of  the  dissensions  in  the  Corinthian 
church,  proceeded  on  his  way,  meeting  Titus  in 
Macedonia  with  news  from  Corinth  (2  cor.  7:5-?); 
traveled  as  far  westward  as  the  confines  of  Illy- 
ricum,  the  western  borders  of  Macedonia  (Rom. 
15 :  19),  laying  the  foundation  of  future  Christian 
churches  in  every  principal  town  (Rom.  15 :  23) ; 
came  at  length  to  Corinth,  where  his  burdens 
were  increased  by  intelligence  of  the  defection  in 
the  Galatian  churches,  and  where  he  wrote  his 
epistles  to  the  Galatians  and  the  Romans,  To 
this  period  of  his  life  belongs  the  peculiar  expe- 
rience of  sorrow  and  spiritual  conflict  described 
in  2  Cor.  13  :  7-10. 

3,  4.  The  Jews  laid  wait  for  him. 
Comp.  for  analogous  plots  cu.  9  :  23,  89  ;  23  :  12 ; 
2  Cor.  11  :  33.  Of  this  plot  nothing  more  is 
known.  Of  most  of  the  associates  of  Paul  men- 
tioned in  this  verse  but  little  is  known.  Sopater 
is  described  in  ancient  MSS.  as  of  Pyrrhus,  i.  e., 
the  son  of  Pyrrhus,  but  no  such  person  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  in  the  N.  T.  Some  identify 
this  Sopater  with  Sosipater  of  Rom.  16  :  21. 
Aristarchus  is  probably  the  person  of  the  same 
name  mentioned  in  ch.  19  :  39.  See  note  there. 
Secundus  is  not  elsewhere  mentioned  in  the  N.  T. 
Gaius  is  described  as  of  Derbe,  in  Lycaonia,  to 
distinguish  him  from  the  Gaius  of  Macedonia 
mentioned  in  ch.  19  :  39  ;  John's  third  epistle  is 
addressed  to  a  person  of  the  same  name,  but 
there  is  no  special  reason  for  regarding  them  as 
identical.  On  Timothy,  see  ch.  16  :  1,  note.  Ty- 
chlcus  is  here  first  mentioned.  He  was  one  of 
Paul's  most  faithful  companions  and  fellow- 
laborers.  He  was  probably  a  native  of  Ephe- 
8'is,  and  staid  there  or  at  Miletus,  while  Paul  went 
to  Jerusalem.  He  shared  Paul's  first  imprison- 
ment, and  with  Onesimus  was  the  bearer  of 
Paul's  epistles  to  the  Colossians  (coi.  4 : 7),  Ephe- 
sians  (Eph.  6 :  21),  and  Philemon.  Deserted  by  his 
other  Asiatic  friends,  Paul  still  had  Tychicus  as 
a  companion  in  his  second  imprisonment ;  at  the 


time  of  the  second  epistle  to  Timothy,  he  had 
been  dispatched  on  some  mission  to  Ephesus 
(2  Tim.  4 :  12).  It  is  thought  he  was  one  of  the  two 
brethren  (2  Cor.  8 :  I6-24)  who  managed  the  collec- 
tion for  the  poor  Christians  in  Judea.  The  other 
of  the  two  is  thought  to  have  been  the  Trophi- 
mus  here  mentioned.  He  accompanied  Paul  to 
Jerusalem,  and  was  there  the  innocent  cause  of 
the  tumult  which  resulted  in  Paul's  journey  to 
Rome  (ch.  21 :  29). 

5,  6.  These  s^oing  before.  Various  hypo- 
theses have  been  proposed  to  account  for  the 
separation,  but  they  are  arbitraiy  surmises. — 
After  the  days  of  unleavened  bread.  The 
Passover ;  Paul's  aim  was  to  reach  Jerusalem  in 
time  for  the  Pentecost  forty-nine  days  later  (ver. 
16).  Conybeare  and  Howson  indicate  the  probable 
course  of  the  journey.  "Paul  stayed  at  least 
seven  days  at  Philippi  after  the  Passover  (ver.  e), 
five  days  were  spent  on  the  journey  to  Troas,  six 
days  (for  so  we  may  reckon  them)  were  spent  at 
Troas,  four  were  occupied  on  the  voyage  by  Chi- 
os to  Miletus  (vers.  13-15),  two  were  spent  at  MUe- 
tus,  in  three  days  Paul  went  by  Cos  and  Rhodes  to 
Patara  (21 : 1),  two  days  would  suffice  for  the  voy- 
age to  Tyre  (ch.  21 : 2, 3),  six  days  weie  spent  at  T;y  re 
(ch.  21 : 4),  two  were  taken  up  in  proceeding  by  Ftolc- 
mais  to  Cassarea  (ch.  21 : 7,  s).  This  calculation  gives 
us  thirty-seven  days  in  all ;  thus  leaving  thirteen 
before  the  festival  of  Pentecost,  after  the  arrival 
at  Caesarea,  which  is  more  than  the  conditions 
require.  We  may  add,  if  necessary,  two  or  three 
days  more  during  the  voyage,  in  the  cases  where 
we  have  reckoned  inclusively." — In  five  days. 
Paul  had  previously  made  the  voyage  from  Troas 
to  Philippi  in  two  days  (ch.  16 :  11, 12).  A  difference 
in  the  direction  of  the  wind  would  be  amply  suf- 
ficient to  account  for  the  difference  in  the  length 
of  the  voyage. 

7,  8.  On  the  first  day  of  the  week.  It 
seems  to  have  been  the  practice  of  the  early 
Christians  from  a  very  early  period  to  meet  in 
commemoration  of  the  resurrection.  Gradu- 
ally this  Christian  day  supplanted  the  Sabbath, 
though,  for  a  time,  both  days  were  observed. 
The  Jews  demanded  that  the  Gentile  Christians 
should  observe  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  a  demand  to 
which  Paul  told  them  not  to  accede  (coi.  2 ;  le). 
The  Christian  weekly  festival  was  called  the 
Lord's  Day  (Rev.  1  :  10) ;  Sunday  is  a  later  title  of 
heathen  origin,  being  equivalent  to  Day  of  the 
Sun.    There  is  no  direct  authority  in  the  N.  T. 


Ch.  XX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


219 


8  And  there  were  many  lights  in  the  upper  cham- 
ber,' where  they  were  gathered  together. 

g  And  there  sat  in  a  window  a  certain  young  man 
named  Eutychus,  being  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep :  and 
as  Paul  was  long  preaching,  he  sunk  down  with  sleep, 
and  fell  down  irom  the  third  lott,  and  was  taken  up 
dead. 

lo  And  Paul  went  down,  and  fell""  on  him,  and  em- 
bracing kim^  said,"  Trouble  not  yourselves ;  lor  his 
Ufe  is  in  him. 


11  When  he  therefore  was  come  up  again,  and  had 
broken  bread,  and  eaten,  and  talked  a  long  while,  even 
till  break  of  day,  so  he  departed. 

12  And  they  brought  the  young  man  alive,  and  were 
not  a  little  comforted. 

13  And  we  went  before  to  ship,  and  sailed  unto  As- 
sos,  there  intending  to  take  in  Paul :  for  so  had  he  ap- 
pointed, minding  himself  to  go  afoot. 

14  And  when  tie  met  with  us  at  Assos,  we  took  him 
in,  and  came  to  Mitylene. 


1  ch.  1  :  13 . . . .  m  1  Kings  17  :  21 ;  2  Kings  4 :  34 n  Matt.  9  :  24. 


for  any  change  of  the  day  from  the  seventh  to  the 
first,  except  such  as  may  be  deduced  from  the 
apostolic  practice. — To  break  bread.  In  the 
East  bread  is  never  cut  with  a  knife,  but  always 
broken  with  the  hand;  hence  to  "break  bread" 
is,  in  Oriental  language,  the  same  as  to  eat.  In 
N.  T.  usage,  it  generally  indicates  an  observ- 
ance of  the  Lord's  Supper,  usually  in  connection 
with  the  agapcp,  or  love-feasts,  which  were  a 
prominent  feature  in  the  social  services  of  the 
apostolic  churches.  See  1  Cor.  11  :  30,  etc.  The 
best  manuscripts  have  here  we  came,  instead  of 
the  disciples  came. — There  were  many  lights. 
The  language  of  an  eye-witness  depicting  vividly 
the  scene. — In  the  upper  chamber.  A  guest 
chamber  used  for  company  and  feasts  ;  in  Greek 
houses,  it  usually  occupied  the  upper  story ;  it 
was  sometimes  devoted  to  the  lodging  of  the 
slaves,  and  did  not  ordinarily  extend  over  the 
whole  of  the  lower  story.  For  illustration  and 
description,  see  Luke  22  :  12,  note. 

9-12.  Sat  in  a  window.  Only  the  rooms 
In  the  upper  story  were  lighted  by  windows ; 
they  were  small,  about  three  feet  by  two,  closed 
by  a  wooden  shutter,  sometimes  protected  by  a 
lattice-work,  and  occasionally,  in  the  houses  of 
the  wealthiest,  enclosed  with  a  thin,  transparent 
stone,  or  even  with  glass.  Eutychus  was  sitting 
on  the  ledge  of  the  window-sill,  the  shutter  being 
open,  and  the  window  evidently  being  unpro- 
tected by  lattice.  He  is  called  a  youth  (>« «v('«c) 
here,  and  a  boy  {naig)  in  ver.  13.  Neither  indi- 
cates his  age  at  all  definitely.  He  is  not  again 
mentioned  in  the  N.  T.,  and  nothing  more  is 
known  of  him. — Falling  into  a  deep  sleep 
*  *  *  sunk  down  in  sleep.  This  is  not  a 
repetition  ;  having  fallen  asleep,  he  became  en- 
tirely relaxed,  and  sank  down  in  such  a  way  that 
the  sill  no  longer  protected  him. — From  the 
third  loft.  The  third  story. — Was  taken  up 
dead  *  *  *  his  life  is  in  him.  By  some 
critics  (De  Wette,  Olshausen,  Meyer)  it  is  sup- 
posed that  Eutychus  was  not  dead,  that  he  was 
merely  taken  up  for  dead,  and  that  Paul,  with 
clearer  discernment,  perceived  that  he  was  only 
stunned.  The  answer  of  Alford  to  this  view 
seems  to  me  conclusive:  "The  youth  falls,  and 
is  taken  up  dead ;  so  much  is  plainly  asserted. 
Paul,  not  a  physician,  but  an  apostle,  gifted,  not 


with  medical  discernment,  but  with  miraculous 
power,  goes  down  to  him,  falls  on  him  and  em- 
braces him,  a  strange  proceeding  for  one  bent  on 
discovering  suspended  animation,  but  not  so  for 
one  who  bore  in  mind  the  action  of  Elijah  (i  Kings 
17:21)  and  Elisha  (2  Kings  4 :  34),  each  time  over  a 
dead  body;  and  having  done  this,  not  before,  he 
bids  them  not  to  be  troubled,  for  his  life  was  in 
him.  I  would  ask  any  unbiased  reader,  taking 
these  details  into  consideration,  which  of  the 
two  is  the  natural  interpretation — and  whether 
there  can  be  any  reasonable  doubt  that  the  intent 
of  Luke  is  to  relate  a  miracle  of  raising  the  dead, 
and  that  he  mentions  falling  on  and  embracing 
him  as  the  outward  significant  means  taken  by 
the  apostle  to  that  end?"  Add  to  this  that 
there  is  no  significance  apparent  in  the  incident, 
and  no  reason  for  the  narrative,  if  it  be  not  a 
miracle — the  only  one,  I  believe,  in  the  N.  T. 
performed  within  the  church,  or  at  night,  or 
without  the  attestation  of  unbelievers  to  its  real- 
ity.—  Talked  a  long  while.  Rather,  Had 
much  companionship ;  the  preaching  was  i,  /er  ; 
social  converse,  with  a  meal,  followed.  In  this 
whole  story  is  a  graphic  picture  of  the  early  ser- 
vices, held  at  night,  in  an  upper  room,  the  guest- 
chamber  of  some  Christian  or  a  friendly  unbe- 
liever ;  and  of  the  zeal  of  Paul,  preaching  till 
midnight,  continuing  in  social  converse  till  day- 
break, and  then  starting  (ver.  13)  on  a  foot  journey 
of  twenty  miles. 

13,  14.  Sailed  onto  Assos.  A  seaport  of 
the  Roman  province  of  Asia,  in  the  ancient  dis- 
trict of  Mysia.  It  was  a  splendid  and  populous 
city,  situated  on  the  top  of  a  rocky  eminence  by 
the  shore  of  the  gulf  of  Adramyttium,  and, 
being  about  half  wa}'  from  Troas  to  Mitylene, 
was  a  convenient  halting-place  for  vessels  going 
from  one  place  to  the  other.  The  harbor  was 
protected  by  a  large  and  excellent  mole  or  pier, 
but  the  slope  from  the  town  to  the  beach  was  so 
steep  that  it  gave  rise  to  a  proverb,  "Go  to  Assos 
and  break  your  neck."  There  was  a  curious 
kind  of  stone  in  the  neighborhood,  called  sar- 
cophagus (flesh-eater),  because  it  consumed  flesh, 
a  body  entombed  in  it  disappearing,  all  but  the 
teeth,  in  forty  days !  The  inhabitants  were 
mostly  Greeks  ;  Fellows  found  there  no  trace  of 
the  Romans;  and  Leake  says  that  from  the  re- 


230 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XX. 


15  And  we  sailed  thence,  and  came  the  next  day 
over  against  Chios;  and  the  next  day  we  arrived  at 
Samos,  and  tarried  at  Trogylhum ;  and  the  next  day 
we  came  to  Miletus. 


16  For  Paul  had  determined  to  sail  for  Ephesus,  be- 
cause he  would  not  spend  the  time  in  Asia ;  for  he 
hasted,  if  it  were  possible  lor  him,  to  be  at  Jerusalem" 
the  day  of  Pentecost.p 


,  18  :  21 ;  24  :  17. . . .  p  ch.  2  :  1 ;  1  Cor.  16  :  8. 


mains,  which  are  numerou.  and  well-preserved, 
may  be  had  "perhaps  the  most  perfect  idea  of  a 
Greek  city  that  anywhere  exists."  From  its 
citadel  it  commanded  a  glorious  view,  and  must 
have  presented  a  splendid  appearance  from  the 
sea.  The  name  Asso  still  exists  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, but  the  place  of  the  remains  is  called 
Beahsahm.— To  go  afoot.  It  was  only  19  or  20 
miles  distant  from  Troas,  on  an  excellent  Roman 
road,  and  the  apostle  could  traverse  this  dis- 
tance in  a  much  shorter  time  than  the  ship  re- 
quired to  double  the  promontory  terminating  in 
Cape  Lectum.  The  narrative  indicates  that  he 
was  found  at  Assos  on  the  arrival  of  the  ship. 
Observe  the  indication  of  his  vigor.  Comp.  vers. 
31,  34 ;  2  Cor.  11  :  24-38.— Came  to  Mitylene. 
The  chief  town  of  the  island  of  Lesbos — famous 
for  having  been  the  birthplace  of  Sappho  and 
Alcseus,  who  originated  the  Sapphic  and  Alcaic 
metres,  and  of  Pittaeus,  one  of  the  seven  wise 
men  of  Greece.  It  was  a  free  city,  under  Roman 
rule,  at  the  time  when  Paul's  ship  anchored  for 
the  night  in  its  excellent  harbor  or  roadstead, 
and  was  a  fine  sight,  with  its  noble  buildings  and 
the  background  of  mountains.  It  was  probably 
the  time  of  a  dark  moon,  and  daylight  would  be 
needed  to  accomplish  safely  the  intricate  naviga- 
tion between  the  island  and  the  mainland.  It  is 
one  of  the  few  cities  of  the  .^gean  which  have 
continued  to  flourish  to  the  present  day,  and  the 
island  and  the  town  are  called  Mytilni. 

15.  And  came  the  next  day  over  against 
Chios.  The  island,  well  known  under  its  mod- 
em name  Scio,  for  the  dreadful  sufferings  of  its 
inhabitants  in  the  Greek  war  of  independence. 
It  has  no  other  connection  with  the  Scripture 
narrative  than  thus  to  mark  out  the  apostle's 
course  in  this  journey.  It  is  possible  the  ship 
was  becalmed.  Herod,  in  his  voyage  to  join 
Marcus  Agrippa,  was  here  once  detained,  and 
gave  liberally  toward  the  restoration  of  some 
public  works.  His  journey,  as  described  by  Jo- 
sephus,  affords  an  interesting  comparison  with 
Paul's.  The  island  was  only  about  five  miles 
from  the  mainland,  but  it  is  not  certain  that  it 
was  ever  a  part  of  the  Roman  province.  Its  out- 
line is  mountainous  and  bold,  and  it  has  always 
been  celebrated  for  its  beauty  and  fruitfulness. — 
We  arrived  at  Samos.  An  illustrious  Greek 
island  off  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  where  Ionia 
joins  Caria.  It  was  once  a  powerful  member  of 
the  Ionic  confederacy,  and  has  had  part  in  many 
famous  contests.    The  name  denotes  a  height, 


especially  by  the  sea-shore,  and  correctly  de- 
scribes this  lofty  and  commanding  island.  At 
this  time  it  was  in  the  province  of  Asia,  and  was 
a  convenient  port  where  passengers  or  merchan- 
dise might  have  been  landed  from  this  ship ;  and 
this  business  dispatched,  she  sailed  across  the 
strait  to — Trogyllium.  This  was  an  anchorage 
about  a  mile  from  Samos,  the  termination  of  the 
promontory  of  Mycale,  well  known  in  the  annals 
of  Greek  victory  over  the  Persians.  A  little  to 
the  east  of  this  place  there  is  still  an  anchorage, 
called  St.  PavX's  Port.  The  apostle  had  passed 
in  front  of  the  bay  into  which  the  Cayster  emp- 
tied, and  was  now  but  a  short  distance  from 
Ephesus.  See  map,  p.  21. — And  the  next 
day  came  to  Miletus.  This  city,  more  an- 
cient than  Ephesus,  had  been  at  the  height  of 
its  prosperity  500  years  before  this  visit  of  the 
apostle.  The  lonians  coming  to  Asia  Minor, 
found  it  a  Carian  town,  situated  on  a  peninsula 
formed  in  the  south-west  of  the  Latmus  bay  by 
Mt.  Grion.  Across  the  bay,  40  stadia  distant, 
was  the  mouth  of  the  river  Meander,  which  has 
obtained  over  the  town  a  more  complete  victory 
than  the  Persians  or  the  Greeks.  Before  the 
lonians  made  it  their  capital  city  it  had  borne 
many  names;  but  then  commenced  its  great 
prosperity.  After  founding  more  than  75  col- 
onies, many  of  them  important,  pushing  its  com- 
merce even  to  the  Atlantic,  it  fell  a  victim  to  the 
Persians,  and  still  later  suffered  at  the  hands  of 
Alexander.  From  that  time  it  sunk  into  ruin. 
Although  still  possessing  its  four  harbors,  at  this 
time  it  was  only  a  second-rate  shipping  town. 
Such  has  been  the  active  deposit  of  the  river 
Meander,  that  the  group  of  islands  lying  oppo- 
site Miletus,  which  were  at  once  a  protection  to 
its  harbor  and  a  hiding-place  for  smugglers  and 
pirates,  have  come  to  be  only  gentle  eminences 
rising  out  of  a  plain,  the  mouth  of  the  Meander, 
many  miles  further  toward  Trogyllium,  having 
made  a  lake  of  the  Latmus  bay,  and  covered  the 
site  of  Miletus  and  the  territory  about  it  with  a 
pestilential  swamp.  The  ruins  of  Mysa,  a  town 
on  the  shore  of  the  Meander,  have  been  errone- 
ously supposed  to  be  those  of  Miletus.  The  in- 
habitants were,  with  the  rest  of  the  lonians,  no- 
torious for  their  voluptuousness  and  effeminacy, 
having  lost  their  brave  and  warlike  character  in 
the  years  of  their  prosperity.  They  were  not 
wholly  idle,  for  their  couches  and  furniture  were 
very  famous,  and  their  woollen  cloths  and  car- 
pets were  highly  esteemed.     Ephesus  was  be- 


Ch.  XX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


221 


17  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called 
the  elders  of  the  church. 

18  And  when  they  were  come  to  him,  he  said  unto 
them,  Ye  know,  from  the  first  day  that  I1  came  into 
Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been  with  you  at  all 
seasons, 

19  Serving  the  Lord  with  all  humility  "■  of  mind,  and 
with  many  tears,"  and  temptations,'  which  befell  me  by 
the  lying  "  in  wait  of  the  Jews : 

20  A  nd  how  I "  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profita- 
ble unto  you,  but  have  shewed  you,  and  have  taught 
you  publicly,  and  from  house  "  to  house, 

21  Testifymg  both  to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the 


Greeks,  repentance*  toward  God,  and  faith  toward 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

22  And  now,  behold,  I  go  bounds  in  the  spirit  unto 
Jerusalem,  not  knowing  ^  the  things  that  shall  belall 
me  there  : 

2j  Save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every 
cit}',  saying  that  bonds"  and  afflictions  abide  me. 

24  But  none  ''  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count 
I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  1  might  finish  ■=  my 
course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry,''  which  I  have  re- 
ceived ■=  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God. 

25  And  now,  behold,  I   know  that  ye  all,  among 


q  ch.  19  :  1,10 r  1  Cor.  16  :  9,  10 s  Phil.  3:  18 1  2  Cor.  4:811 u  verse  3... 

■.'4  :  47...  y  ch.  19  :  21 z  James  4  :  14 a  chaps.  9  :  16 ;    21  :  11 b  ch.  21  :  13; 

d  2Cor.4:  l....e  Gal.  1  :  1. 


■se  27. . .  .w  2  Tim.  4  :  2. . .  .x  Mark  1:15;  Luke 
1.  8:35,  37;   2  Cor.  4  :  16. ...c  2  Tim.  4:7.... 


tween  30  and  30  miles  distant.  From  the  state- 
ment that  these  Ephesian  brethren  accompanied 
Paul  to  the  ship  (ver.  38),  it  seems  that  the  landing- 
place  had  already  come  to  be  some  distance  from 
the  city. 

16.  Had  determined  to  sail  by  Ephesus. 
That  is,  not  to  stop  there.  By  going  up  from 
Miletus  to  Ephesus,  a  distance  of  twenty-eight 
miles,  he  might  have  missed  his  ship ;  Paul 
neither  owned  nor  chartered  one,  and  was  de- 
pendent upon  the  movements,  always  uncertain, 
of  those  engaged  in  commerce.  On  the  possibility 
of  Paul's  reaching  Jerusalem  in  time  for  the  feast 
of  Pentecost,  see  ver.  6,  note. 

17-19.  The  elders  of  the  chnrch.  The 
body  who  administered  the  government,  perhaps 
including  its  teachers,  the  distinction  in  office 
between  governing  and  teaching  not  being 
clearly  defined.  On  eldership  in  the  apostolic 
churches,  see  note  on  ch.  11  :  30. — In  all  sea- 
sons. Rather,  all  the  time.  This  whole  ministrj- 
in  Asia  was  pursued  in  Ephesus,  though  its  effects 
were  felt  throughout  the  province,  and  Chris- 
tian churches  were  established  at  Hierapolis, 
Colosse,  and  elsewhere.  See  on  ch.  19  :  10. — 
Serving  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  minister  is 
the  servant,  not  of  the  church,  but  of  Christ. — 
With  all  humility.  LowUness  of  mind,  nei- 
ther refusing  minor  and  seemingly  insignificant 
work,  e.  gr.,  in  personal  conversation  as  at  Athens 
(ch.  17: 17),  nor  hesitating  to  engage  in  manual  labor 
for  his  own  support  and  that  of  others  (ver.  .34), 
nor  arrogating  to  himself  to  be  a  lord  over  God's 
heritage  (1  Pet.  5 : 3).  He  here  addresses  them  as 
overseers  or  bishops  (ver.  23),  not  claiming  that 
oflSce  himself,  a  significant  fact.  With  his  lan- 
guage of  self-commendation  here,  comp.  1  Cor. 
9  :  4-15  ;  2  Cor.  6  :  3,  4 ;  13  :  14,  etc. ;  1  Thess. 
2  : 5-10 ;  3  Thess.  3:7-9;  and  observe  that  to 
know  our  own  fidelity,  and  to  call  others  to  at- 
test it,  is  not  inconsistent  with  true  humility. 
But  also  observe,  that  Paul  never  does  this  for 
self-praise,  but  only  as  a  means  of  stimulating 
others  to  similar  fidelity. — And  with  many 
tears.  An  evidence  of  Paul's  warm  and  demon- 
strative  character.     Comp.   2  Cor.  2:4;   Phil. 


3  :  18 ;  Ps.  126  : 6.— And  temptations.  Rather, 
trials.  Perhaps  including  the  temptation  in  his 
flesh  alluded  to  in  Gal.  4  :  14  and  again  in  3  Cor. 
13  :  7,  but  also  the  opposition  encountered  from 
practitioners  of  magic  and  others  (see  ch.  19), 
among  whom  were  some  of  his  own  nation,  and 
the  temporary  defection  of  some  of  the  Chris- 
tian believers  (ch.  19 :  18,  note). — By  the  lying  in 
wait  of  the  Jews.  No  such  Jewish  company 
in  Ephesus  is  mentioned  directly  by  Luke;  it 
may  have  been  connected  with  the  one  referred 
to  in  ver.  3,  though  that  originated  at  Corinth. 
See  note  there. 

20,  21.  Kept  back  nothing  that  was  pro- 
fitable. The  word  here  rendered  kept  back  is  in 
ver.  37  rendered  shunned.  Neither  fear  of  per- 
sonal danger,  nor  impaired  popularity,  had  re- 
strained his  teaching.  Personal  prudence  may 
make  us  cautious  how  we  present  the  truth,  but 
it  can  never  justify  an  absolute  suppression  of 
the  truth.  Observe  the  qualification,  profitable 
to  rjou.  What,  as  yet,  they  were  unprepared  for, 
he  may  have  kept  back  till  the  time  for  present- 
ing it  should  arrive.  All  scripture  is  profit- 
able, but  not  to  all  men  at  all  times.  See  John 
16:13;  1  Cor.  3  : 1,  8.— Publicly  and  from 
house  to  house.  Observe,  that  personal  work 
was  a  characteristic  feature  in  Paul's  ministry, 
as  it  has  always  been  in  the  work  of  spiritually 
successful  men. — The  repentance  that  is 
toward  God,  and  the  faith  that  is  toward 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  first  is  illus- 
trated by  Ps.  51  :  4  and  Luke  15  :  18,  the  second 
by  John  14  :  1 ;  Acts  2  :  38  ;  16  :  31.  Repentance 
may  not  lead  to  faith,  but  repentance  toward  Ood 
the  sense  of  sin  as  agamst  him,  brings  with  it  a 
conscious  need  of  a  mediator  and  an  atonement, 
and  so  leads  to  faith  towards  the  mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man  (2  cor.  5 :  20, 21 ;  1  Tim.  2 : 5), 

22-24.  Aiid  now,  behold,  I  go  bound 
in  the  Spirit.  Not  Constrained  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  for  the  term  Holy  Spirit  in  the  next  verse 
is  apparently  used  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
spirit,  Paul's  own  spirit,  referred  to  here  ;  nor, 
In  imagination  bound,  i.  e.,  foreseeing  himself  as 
literally  bound,  for  the  original  will  not  bear  this 


222 


THE  ACTS. 


whom  I  have  gone  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God, 
shall  see  my  face  no  more. 

26  Wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day,  that  I 
am  pure '  from  the  blood  of  all  men. 


[Ch.  XX. 


27  For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all 
the  counsels  of  God. 

28  Take  heed^  therefore  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all 
the  flock,  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made 


f  2  Cor.  7:2 g  Ephes.  1:31 h  Col.  4  :  17  j  1  Tim.  4  :  16. 


significance,  and  in  the  very  next  clause  he  de- 
clares himself  ignorant  of  what  is  to  befall  him  ; 
nor  exactly,  as  Hackett,  ^^constrained  by  an  invin- 
cible impulse  or  sense  of  duty  ;"  more  than  this  is 
implied  by  the  peculiar  language  here.  The 
word  (dfoj)  rendered  bound,  is  used  by  Paul  to 

indicate  obligation  (Rom.  7  :  2 ;  l  Cor.  7  :  27,  39.    Comp.  Matt. 

16 :  19,  note) ;  Paul,  who  docs  not  hold  himself  under 
obligation  to  obedience  to  the  apostles  as  eccle- 
siastical superiors  (oai.  1 :  17-22;  2:8, 9, 11),  nor  to  the 
law,  as  a  system  of  external  rules  and  regula- 
tions (Gal.  4 : 4, 5 ;  5 : 1-4),  rccognizes  himself  as  under 
obligation  to  God,  whose  will  is  revealed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  and  in  his  own  Spirit.  Under  this 
spiritual  obligation,  he  is  going  up  now  to  Jeru- 
salem ;  the  impulse  being  from  above,  and  one 
not  to  be  gainsaid  or  resisted  (ch.  21 :  13, 14). — Wit- 
nesses in  every  city.  By  the  mouth  of  in- 
spired prophets  (ch.  21  :  4, 11) ;  also,  perhaps,  by 
his  personal  experiences  of  bonds  and  afflictions. 
See  ch.  9  :  23,  29  ;  13  :  50 ;  14  :  5,  19  ;  16  :  23  ; 
17  :  5,  10,  13 ;  18  :  12  ;  20  : 3,  for  such  experience 
prior  to  this  time. — But  on  no  account  do  I 
esteem  my  life  of  value  to  myself.  There 
is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  reading ;  this  is  the 
one  adopted  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford.  Ob- 
serve, that  he  does  not  say  he  esteemed  his  life 
of  no  value,  but  of  no  value  to  himself;  he  meas- 
ures it  wholly  by  its  value  to  Christ  by  whom, 
and  for  whom,  he  lives.  Comp.  Gal.  2  :  20 ; 
Phil.  1  :  21.— So  that  I  might  finish  my 
course.  A  suggested  metaphor  borrowed  from 
the  foot-race,  a  common  Grecian  sport.  It  is  a 
favorite  figure  with  Paul.  See  Phil.  2  :  16  ; 
2  Tim.  4  :  7.  With  joy  has  been  added  by  the  copy- 
ists in  analogy  to  Phil.  1:4;  Col.  1 :  11,  etc.;  but 
really  weakens  the  force  of  Paul's  language.  It 
is  the  work,  not  the  reward,  which  is  here  upper- 
most. Beware  of  considering  so  that  (uSc)  an  ad- 
verb of  comparison.  He  does  not  say,  I  esteem  my 
life  of  no  value,  in  comparison  with  the  comple- 
tion of  my  course  ;  but  absolutely,  I  esteem  my 
life  of  no  value,  so  long  as  I  am  enabled  to  com- 
plete my  course.  As  the  object  of  the  race  is 
the  goal,  so  the  object  of  this  earthly  life  is  the 
completion  of  the  work  assigned  us  by  God,  and 
it  is  of  no  value  except  for  that  purpose.  Comp. 
2  Tim.  4:8;  Heb.  12  :  1,  2.  If  his  afflictions  can 
redound  to  the  larger  success  of  his  work,  in 
the  glory  of  the  Gospel,  he  welcomes  them  (phii. 
1 :  12, 13). 

25-27.  Behold,!  know  that  ye  all    *    * 
*    shall  see  my  face  no  more.    The  knowl- 


edge may  have  been  disclosed  to  him  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  or  through  some  prophet ;  or  the 
language  may  indicate  simply  one  of  those  pre- 
monitions, not  uncommon  in  experience  to- 
day, or  simply  a  firm  conviction  derived  from 
his  purpose  of  going  to  Rome  and  thence  still 
further  west.  The  language  does  not  necessa- 
rily imply  inspired  knowledge.  Alford  refers  to 
ch.  26  :  27,  in  which  Paid  expresses  his  convic- 
tion that  Agrippa  was  a  believer  in  the  prophets, 
but  does  not  imply  an  infallible  knowledge  of 
his  heart.  There  is,  however,  no  evidence  that 
Paul  was  at  Ephesus  again,  though  it  is  probable 
that  he  subsequently  traversed  this  region,  after 
his  first  Roman  imprisonment.  The  all  here  sig- 
nifies not  merely  the  elders,  but  those  whom 
they  represented,  the  members  of  the  Christian 
church  at  Ephesus,  and  perhaps  those  of  other 
Christian  churches  in  Asia,  and  even  in  Macedonia 
and  Achaia.  The  language,  among  whom  I  have 
gone,  heralding  the  kingdmn,  indicates  a  wide  cir- 
cuit of  labor,  not  confined  within  a  single  city. — 
I  take  you  to  record.  I  invoke  your  testi- 
mony. He  appeals  to  their  own  knowledge  of 
his  ministry.  Comp.  the  analogous  appeal  of 
Samuel  in  1  Sam.  12  :  1-5. — Pure  from  the 
blood  of  all.  See  ch.  18  :  6,  note. — All  the 
will  of  God.  Not  merely  the  plan  of  God 
respecting  the  salvation  of  men,  but  his  whole 
will,  as  revealed  by  the  0.  T.,  and  by  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

28.  Unto  yourselves  and  to  all  the  flock. 
Observe,  the  first  duty  of  the  watchman  is  to 
watch  over  himself  (Luke  12 :  41-44).  The  meta- 
phor of  the  flock,  borrowed  from  Christ,  and  by 
him  from  the  O.  T.  ( John  10 : 1-16),  and  used  by  Peter 
(1  Peter  2 :  25),  is  uot  clscwhere  uscd  by  Paul,  unless 
Heb.  13  :  20  be  an  exception.  —  Hath  made 
you  overseers.  The  word  overseer  is  a  literal 
translation  of  the  original  {imaxonoc,  episkopos), 
from  which  comes  our  English  word  episcopal ; 
it  is,  however,  everywhere  else  in  the  N.  T.  ren- 
dered bishop.  It  is  agreed  by  nearly,  if  not  quite 
all  scholars,  that  the  words  bishop  and  elder 
{inlay.ojtoi;  and  nqia^vziQoc:),  in  the  language  of 
the  N.  T.,  signify  the  same  office.  Thus  Cony- 
beare  and  Howson  :  "These  terms  are  used  in 
the  N.  T.  as  equivalent.  The  former  (bishop)  de- 
noting, as  its  meaning  of  oversee)-  implies,  the 
duties ;  the  latter  (elder)  denoting  the  rank  of 
the  office."  So  Alford:  "The  English  version 
has  hardly  dealt  fairly  in  this  case  with  the 
sacred  text,  in  the  rendering  'overseers,'  where- 


Ch.  XX.] 


THE  ACTS. 


223 


you '  overseers,  to  feed  the  church '  of  God,  which  he 
hath  purchased''  with  his  own  blood. 

29  For  I  know  this,  that  after  my  departing  shall 
grievous  wolves'  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing" 
the  flock. 

30  Also  of  your"  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speak- 
ing perverse  things,  to  draw  away  disciples  after 
them. 

31  Therefore  watch,"  and  remember,  that  by  the 
space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  ■■  every  one 
night  and  day  with  tears. 

32  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and 
to  the  word  ot  his  grace,  which  is  ablei  to  build  you 
up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance ■■  among  all  them 
which  are  sanctified. 


33  I«  have  coveted  no  man's  silver,  or  gold,  or  ap- 
parel. 

34  Yea,  ye  yourselves 'know,  that  these  hands  have 
mmistered  unto  my  necessities,  and  to  them  that  were 
with  me. 

35  I  have  shewed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  labour- 
ing ye  ought  to  support "  the  weak,  and  to  remember 
the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said.  It"  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

36  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  kneeled  * 
down,  and  prayed  with  them  all. 

37  And  they  all  wept  sore,  and  fell"  on  Paul's  neck, 
ancl  kissed  him, 

38  Sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the  words  y  which  he 
spake,  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more.  And 
they  accompanied  him  unto  the  ship. 


I  Heb.  13  :  17. . .  .j  Prov.  10  :  21  ;  Jer.  3:16;  John  21  :  15-17  ;    1  Pet.  6  :  2,  3. . .  .k  Ephea.  1:14;   Col.  1:14;    Heb.  9:12,   14  ;    1  Pet.  1  :  18,  19 

Rev.  5  :  9... 1  Matt.  7  :  15  ;    2  Pel.  2:1 m  Jer.  13  :  '20  ;    23  :  1  ;    Ezek.  34  :  2,  3  ;  Zeeh.  11  :  17 n  1  John  2  :  19  ;  Jude  4,  etc. . .  .0  2  Tim 

4:  5....P  Col.  1  :  28.  ^.q  John  17  :  17.... r  ch.  26  :  18  ;  Col.  1  :  12;  Heb.  9  :  15;  1  Pet.  1  :  4....8  1  Sam.  12  :  3  j  I  Cor.  9  :  12;  2  Cor.  7:2.... 
t  ch.  18:3;  1  Cor.  4  :  12;  1  Thess.  2:9;  2  Thess.  3  :8....u  Rom.  16  :  1 ;  Ephes.  4  :  28;  1  Thess.  5  :  14.... v  Luke  14:  12-14.... w  ch.  21  :6 
I  Gen.  46:29 y  verse  25. 


as  it  ought  there,  as  in  all  other  places,  to  have 
been  'bishops.'"  Rather,  in  all  other  places  it 
should  be  rendered  "overseers." — To  shep- 
herd the  church  of  God.  Not  merely  to  feed, 
but  to  act  as  shepherd  of  the  church,  including 
feeding  with  doctrine,  leading  by  example,  and 
perhaps  administering  government  (i  Peter  5 : 2, 3). 
The  question  whether  this  verse  should  read  the 
church  of  God,  or  the  church  of  the  Lord  is  one 
of  the  most  uncertain  in  textual  criticism.  For 
arguments  pro  and  con,  see  Alford's  Greek  Tes- 
tament ;  he  thus  states  his  conclusion  :  "  On  the 
whole,  then,  weighing  the  evidence  on  both 
sides,  seeing  that  it  is  more  likely  that  the  altera- 
tion should  have  been  made  to  of  the  Lord  (y.voiov) 
than  to  of  God  ((putv),  more  likely  that  the  speaker 
should  have  used  of  God  than  of  the  Lord,  and 
jnore  consonant  to  the  evidently  emphatic  posi- 
tion of  the  word.  I  have,  on  a  final  revision  of 
this  volume,  decided  for  the  received  reading, 
which,  in  the  first  writing  of  it,  I  had  rejected." 
The  difference  is  important,  because  of  the  clos- 
ing clause  of  the  verse.  Which  he  hath  purchased 
with  his  own  blood.  If  this  declaration  is  made 
respecting  God,  the  verse  becomes  a  conclusive 
evidence  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
representation  of  salvation  as  a  purchased  re- 
demption is  again  employed  by  Paul  in  Ephes. 
1  :13. 

29,  30.  Shal!  grievous  wolves  enter  in 
*  *  *  Also  of  your  own  selves  shall 
men  arise.  Grievous  wolves  are  not  perse- 
cutors from  without  the  church,  but  false  teach- 
ers within  (Matt.  7 :  15).  The  distinction  is  between 
false  teachers  coming  to  Ephesus  from  other 
places  and  false  teachers  springing  up  within  the 
church.  On  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy, 
see  2  Tim.  2  :  17,  18,  written  to  Timothy  from 
Rome,  while  the  latter  was  in  the  vicinity  of 
Ephesus ;  see  also  Rev.  2  :  2.  The  wolves  rav- 
aged the  flock ;  the  Christian  temple  of  Ephesus 
rivaled  in  magnificence  and  superstition  that  of 
the    heathen   Diana ;   these  gave  place  to  the 


mosque  of  Mohammed ;  which  has,  in  turn, 
given  place  to  utter  desolation.  —  Perverse 
thinsrs.  Perverted  things  ;  the  truth  distorted 
and  made  an  instrument  of  error.  Comp.  ch. 
13  :  10,  note. 

31,  33.  The  three  years  consists  of  three 
months'  preaching  in  the  synagogue  (ch.  19 : 8), 
two  years'  ministi-y  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus 
(ch.  19 :  10),  and  three  months  or  thereabouts  in 
Paul's  subsequent  ministry.  Observe  how  every 
word  in  this  sentence  here  has  its  significance  : 
every  one  indicates  personal  work  ;  night  and  day, 
ceaseless  industry ;  with  tears,  warmth  of  feel- 
ing. /  commend  you  to  God,  is,  I  place  you  in 
God's  hands,  as  for  safe-keeping;  the  word  of  his 
grace  is  in  contrast  with  the  law,  and  indicates 
the  possession  by  the  church  at  Ephesus  of  one 
or  more  gospels ;  the  metaphor  of  an  inheritance 
is  a  favorite  one  with  the  apostle. 

33-35.  Contrast  with  Paul's  spirit  that  of 
Demetrius  (ch.  19 :  25, 26),  and  comp.  his  admoni- 
tions to  Timothy  respecting  the  danger  of  covet- 
ousness  (1  Tim.  6 :  i-ii).  With  his  reference  here  to 
his  manual  labor  agrees  1  Cor.  4  :  11,  13  ;  comp. 
1  Thess.  3  :  8.  These  references  indicate  that  the 
tent-making  referred  to  only  by  Luke  in  ch. 
18  :  3,  was  Paul's  dependence  for  support ;  ob- 
serve that  he  supports  his  traveling  companions 
also,  an  indication  that  he  was  a  successful  arti- 
san. The  weak  are  not  the  weak  in  faith,  nor  the 
poor,  but  those  who,  from  any  infirmity,  were 
dependent  on  charity  for  support.  The  words 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  here  quoted  are  not  in  the  gos- 
pels ;  they  are  referred  to  by  Paul  as  though 
familiar  to  his  auditors  and  are  quoted  either 
from  tradition  or  from  a  lost  gospel.  Analogous 
in  spirit  is  Luke  14  ;  12-14. 

36-38.  The  scene  here  is  a  touching  one ;  the 
simplicity  of  Luke's  description  heightens  the 
effect.  ' '  We  feel  instinctively  that  the  eye  must 
have  seen  what  the  pen  has  portrayed  in  so  nat- 
ural a  manner." — {Hackett.) 

The  student  wUl  do  well  to  compare  this  ad- 


224 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXL 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  we  were  gotten  from 
them,  and  had  launched,  we  came  with  a  straight 
course  unto  Coos,  and  the  day  following  unto  Rhodes, 
and  from  thence  unto  Patara : 


2  And  finding  a  ship  sailing  over  unto  Phenicia,  we 
went  aboard,  and  set  forth. 

3  Now  when  we  had  discovered  Cyprus,  we  left  it 
on  the  left  hand,  and  sailed  into  Syria,  and  landed  at 
Tyre  :  for  there  the  ship  was  to  unlade  her  burden. 

4  And  finding  disciples,  we  tarried  there  seven  days : 


dress  of  Paul  with  the  analogous  expressions  of 
experience  in  the  epistles,  particularly  his  meta- 
phors in  vers.  3i,  28, 33,  The  parallelisms  notice- 
able to  the  English  reader  are  still  more  notice- 
able to  the  Greek  student.  No  other  passage  in 
the  N.  T,  of  the  same  length  presents  so  clear 
and  vivid  a  picture  of  the  characteristic  features 
of  Paul's  ministry :  his  theme,  repentance  and 
faith  (ver.  2i),  enforced  by  a  heralding  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  (ver.  25),  a  kingdom  and  inheritance  of 
grace  (ver.  32) ;  his  spirit,  humility  (ver.  19),  courage 
(vers.  20, 27),  unswcrvlng  purpose  (ver.  24),  ccaselcss 
industry,  ardent  feeling  (ver.  31),  unselfishness 
(vers.  33-35) ;  his  method,  both  a  public  preaching 
and  personal  and  private  conversation  (ver.  20). 
This  address  thus  afEords  a  suggestion  of  what 
are  the  essential  elements  of  a  successful  Chris- 
tian ministry. 

Chaps.  21,  22,  23.  PAUL  GOES  TO  JKRUSALEM.  HIS 
EXPERIENCE  THERE.  The  Christian  m  experi- 
ences OP  TRIAL. — ^The  Providence  of  GtOD  ruLtrs- 

TRATED. 

A.  D.  .58.  Paul,  bound  in  the  Spirit,  goes  up 
to  Jerusalem,  in  spite  of  the  remonstrances  of 
prophets  and  of  personal  friends  (ch.  21 : 4, 11, 12) ; 
he  yields  to  the  solicitations  of  James  and  the 
elders  at  Jerusalem,  and  participates  in  a  Jew- 
ish ceremonial  in  order  to  remove  the  prejudices 
of  the  Jews  and  the  Jewish  Christians  against 
him ;  the  plan  fails ;  this  act  is  made  an  occasion 
of  a  mob,  from  which  he  is  rescued  by  the  Ro- 
man soldiery ;  and,  after  a  second  mob,  and  a 
plan  for  his  assassination,  he  is  sent,  under  an 
escort,  to  Caesarea  for  trial  before  Felix,  the 
Roman  procurator.  Except  the  story  of  the 
shipwreck  (ch.  27),  there  is  no  part  of  Paul's  life 
more  dramatic  than  that  recorded  in  this  chapter. 
His  own  courage,  calmness,  and  dignity,  and  the 
contrast  between  his  character  and  that  of  the 
Jews  on  the  one  hand  and  of  Claudius  Lysias  on 
the  other,  carry  their  own  lesson ;  he  will  best 
learn  that  lesson  who  acquaints  himself  with  the 
external  aspects  of  the  history,  and  then  reads  the 
story,  and  takes  in  the  inspiration  of  Paul's  lordly 
bearing,  in  his  bonds,  and  before  his  enemies. 
Like  the  story  of  Joseph,  this  history  of  Paul 
afEords,  also,  a  remarkable  illustration  of  the 
strange  way  in  which  God  works  out  his  plans. 
The  hate  of  Joseph's  brethren  sends  Joseph  into 
Egypt  to  prepare  for  their  succor ;  the  hate  of 
the  Jews  provides  for  Paul  the  opportunity  to 
make,  without  expense  to  himself  or  the  infant 


church  the  journey  he  had  so  long  desired  to 
make  to  Rome.     See  at  close  of  ch.  27. 

Ch.  31  :  1-3.  When  now  it  came  to  pass 
that  we  put  to  sea,  having  departed  Irom 
them,  having  run  straight  [i.  e.,  before  the 
wind),  we  came  to  Coos.  More  properly  Cos, 
an  island,  "the  garden  of  the  ^gean,"  famous 
for  its  wines,  ointments  and  textile  fabrics, 
about  twenty-three  miles  south  of  Miletus,  op- 
posite Cnidus  and  Halicarnassus.  Reference  is 
here  made  probably  to  its  principal  town,  which 
lay  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  island,  and 
possessed  a  fine  harbor,  which  has  since  become 
a  malarious  lagoon.  It  must  have  been  of  spe- 
cial interest  to  Luke,  the  physician,  since  it  was 
the  birth-place  of  Hippocrates,  and  boasted  of  a 
school  of  medicine  traditionally  connected  with 
Esculapius,  whose  temple  was  so  fiUed  with  vo- 
tive models,  as  to  be  in  reality  a  museum  of 
pathology  and  anatomy.  The  city  is  still  in  exist- 
ence under  the  name  Stanchio,  a  corruption  of 
"  (?s  tan  Co  "  (toward  Cos) ;  and  in  the  walls  of  a 
Turkish  castle  there,  which,  however.  Chris- 
tian travelers  are  not  allowed  to  enter,  are  said 
to  be  some  sculptures  from  the  ancient  temple 
to  the  god  of  healing. — And  the  day  follow- 
ing (having  probably  lain  at  anchor  over  night) 
unto  Rhodes.  One  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the 
^gean  islands,  famous  for  its  historical  record, 
its  fertile,  though  broken  and  rocky  s6il,  and 
its  climate,  there  being  a  proverb  that  the  sun 
shines  every  day  in  Rhodes.  In  this  city  were  the 
famous  temple  of  the  sun,  an  idolatrous  tem- 
ple erected  by  a  Jew,  and  the  chief  of  the  seven 
great  wonders  of  the  world,  the  Colossus.  The 
city,  founded  and  raised  to  a  capital  by  the  three 
ancient  towns  of  the  island,  and  built  by  the 
architect  Hippodamus,  "rose,"  it  is  said,  "in 
the  midst  of  its  perfumed  gardens,  and  its  am- 
phitheatre of  hills,  with  unity  so  symmetrical, 
that  it  appeared  like  one  house."  The  wonder- 
ful Colossus,  which  had  been  thrown  from  its 
height  of  more  than  100  feet  by  an  earthquake, 
lay  for  over  900  years  along  the  margin  of  the 
port.  —  And  from  thence  unto  Patara. 
The  port  of  the  city  of  Xanthus,  the  capital  of 
Lycia.  It  had  a  convenient  haven,  and  was, 
therefore,  a  resort  for  the  coasting  vessels,  one 
of  which  Paul  found  ready  to  take  him  on.  Pa- 
tara was  a  city  of  some  pretensions,  and  espe- 
cially noted  for  its  temple  and  oracle  of  Apollo, 
some  remains  of  which,  among  other  ruins,  are 
supposed  to  be  still  seen,  although  the  harbor, 
which  was  the  occasion  of  its  mention  in  the 


Ch.  XXL] 


THE  ACTS. 


235 


who  said  ^  to  Paul  through  the  Spirit,  that  he  should 
not  go  up  to  Jerusalem. 

5  And  when  we  had  accomplished  those  days,  we 
departed  and  went  our  way :  and  they  all  brought  us 
on  our  way,  with  wives  and  children,  till  we  were  out 
of  the  city  :  and  we  kneeled  "  down  on  the  shore,  and 
prayed. 

6  And  when  we  had  taken  our  leave  one  of  another, 
we  took  ship  ;  and  they  returned  home  again. 

7  And  when  we  had  finished  our  course  from  Tyre, 


we  came  to  Ptolemais,  and  saluted  the  brethren,  and 
abode  with  them  one  day. 

8  And  the  next  day^  we  that  were  of  Paul's  company 
departed,  and  came  unto  Csesarea :  and  we  entered 
into  the  house  of  Philip'' the  evangelist,'^  which  was 
one  of  the  seven  ;  ■■  and  abode  with  him. 

9  And  the  same  man  had  four  daughters,  virgins, 
which «  did  prophesy. 

ID  And  as  we  tarried  there  many  days,  there  came 
down  from  Judaea  a  certain  prophet,  named  Agabus.^ 


I  12 a  ch.  20  :  36 b  ch.  8  :  26-40 c  Ephes.  4:  11;    2  Tim.  4:6 d  ch.  6:5 o  ch.  2  :  17;    Joel  2  :  28 f  ch.  II  :  i 


Christian  narrative,  is  now  only  a  pestilential 
swamp. — Unto  Phenicia.  On  the  northwest- 
ern coast  of  Syria  (see  map,  p.  2i) ;  also  known  in  the 
N.  T.  by  its  principal  cities  as  "the  coasts  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon."  For  description,  see  Matt. 
11  :  21,  note.— Having  discovered  Cyprus. 
Literally,  having  been  shown  Cyprus.  For  de- 
scription of  the  island,  see  ch.  11  :  19,  note. 
Without  a  mariner's  compass,  the  Greeks  seldom 
ventured  out  into  the  open  sea,  the  headlands 
of  the  coasts  or  the  islands  serving  them  as 
guides.  The  direct  course  from  Rhodes  to  Tyre 
would  leave  Cyprus  on  the  left. — Into  Syria. 
Here  used  in  a  general  sense  for  the  whole  of  the 
Holy  Land,  See  15  :  41,  note. —  Landed  at 
Tyre.  See  ch.  13  :  20,  note.  There  the  ship 
was  to  unload,  an  indication  that  Paul  traveled 
by  an  ordinary  merchant  vessel. 

4-6.  And  finding  disciples.  The  Gospel 
had  been  preached  at  Tyre  in  the  early  persecu- 
tion instigated  fey  Paul  (ch.  ii  -.  19). — Through  the 
spirit.  By  the  mouth  of  some  prophet. — 
That  he  should  not  go  up  to  Jerusalem. 
This  must  be  interpreted  by  the  prophecy  in 
ver.  11 ;  the  prophet  foretold  what  would  befall 
Paul,  the  disciples  drew  thence  the  conclusion 
that  he  should  not  go  up.  But  he  went  "  bound 
in  the  spirit"  (ch.  20 :  22),  the  disclosure  of  the 
divine  will  to  his  own  soul  being  to  him  a  higher 
authority  than  the  words  of  the  prophet. — We 
kneeled  down  on  the  beach  and  prayed. 
A  level,  sandy  beach  extends  for  a  considerable 
distance  on  both  sides  of  the  ancient  Tyre.  Ob- 
serve, the  parting  meeting  is  a  prayer-meeting  ; 
observe,  too,  that  there  is  none  of  that  false  re- 
serve so  common  in  modern  Protestantism,  to 
forbid  the  gathering  for  prayer  where  they  are 
liable  to  observation ;  the  implication  of  the 
narrative  is,  that  the  spot  was  between  the  city 
and  the  point  of  embarkation. 

7-9.  And  having  finished  the  voyage, 
we  came  from  Tyre  unto  Ptolemais.  Men- 
tioned in  J  udges  (1 : 3)  by  its  ancient  name  Accho, 
by  Greek  and  Roman  writers  as  Ace,  and  more 
recently  as  Acre.  It  had  at  this  time  passed  out 
of  the  hands  of  the  Ptolemies,  from  one  of  whom 
it  received  its  name  here,  and  was  a  Roman 
colony,  recently  established  by  the  Emperor 
Claudius.    Situated  about  midway  between  Tyre 


and  Csesarea,  older  than  either  and  outliving 
them  both,  it  has  had  a  continuous  history,  from 
a  very  early  period  to  the  present  time.  It  was 
largely  populated  by  Jews,  for,  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  Jewish  war,  besides  those  who  were  im- 
prisoned, 2,000  were  slain.  It  is  evident  there 
was  already  a  Christian  church  here,  and  possibly 
its  members  were  known  to  Paul,  Here  the 
apostle's  voyage  terminated  and  the  forty-two 
miles,  or  two  days'  journey  to  Caesarea,  were 
traversed  by  land.  The  town  has  now  a  popula- 
tion of  about  10,000,  and  is  at  the  terminus  of  the 
great  road  from  Damascus  to  the  sea.  The  pres- 
ent anchorage,  the  best  on  the  Syrian  coast,  is 
at  some  distance  from  the  former  one,  the  mole 
which  protected  that  being  now  in  ruins. — That 
were  of  Paul's  company.  These  words  are 
wanting  in  the  best  MSS.;  there  is  nothing  in  the 
original  to  indicate  any  separation  from  Paul. 
— Philip  the  evangelist.  One  of  the  seven 
deacons  (ch.  a :  5).  The  last  preceding  mention  of 
him  in  the  N.  T.  is  at  Caesarea  (ch.  8 :  40). — Four 
daughters.  Obsei-ve,  that  in  the  apostolic 
church  women  are  not  only  teachers  (ch.  is  :  26), 
as  in  the  Jewish  church  (ch.  22 :  14),  but  also  in- 
spired teachers.  On  the  nature  of  prophecy, 
see  ch.  13  : 1. 

10-14.  Agabus.  That  this  is  the  same  per- 
son referred  to  in  ch.  11  :  28  is  every  way  prob- 
able ;  his  name,  oflSce,  and  residence,  are  the 
same.— Paul's  girdle.  The  girdle  was  an  es- 
sential article  of  dress  in  the  East,  worn  by  both 
men  and  women.  It  was  sometimes  made  of 
leather  (2  Kings  1 : 8 ;  Matt.  3 : 4),  somctimcs  of  linen 
embroidered  with  silk,  or  gold  or  silver  thread 

Jer.  13:1;  Ezek.  16  :  10  ;  Dan.  10  :  5  ;  Rev.  1  :  3  ;  15  :  6)  ;    it  waS 

sometimes  fastened  by  a  clasp,  sometimes  tied  in 
a  knot.  The  symbolic  act  of  Agabus  is  analogous 
to  the  methods  of  the  O.  T.  prophets  (i  Kings  22 :  ii ; 

Isa.  20  :  2  ;  Jer.  13  :  1  ;  Ezek.  14  :  1  ;  5  :  l).     ObSCrVC  that  the 

prophetic  language  of  the  O.  T,  is.  Thus  salth 
the  Lord;  in  the  N.  T.,  7hus  saith  the  JTohj  Ghost. 
For  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy,  see  ver.  33. 
Observe  that  it  is  fulfilled  in  the  spirit,  not  in  the 
letter  :  Paul  is  bound  by  the  Gentiles,  not  by  the 
Jews,  and  he  is  forcibly  taken  by  the  Gentiles 
from  the  Jews,  who  would  otherwise  have  slain 
him.  Observe,  too,  that  the  fulfillment  of  this 
prophecy  afforded  an  answer,  though  in  an  unex- 


226 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXI. 


11  And  when  he  was  come  unto  us,  he  took  Paul's 
girdle,  and  bound  his  own  hands  and  feet,  and  said. 
Thus  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  So  shall  s  the  Jews  at  Jeru- 
salem bind  the  man  that  owneth  this  girdle,  and  shall 
deliver  him  unto  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles. 

12  And  when  we  heard  these  things,  both  we,  and 
thej'  cf  that  place,  besought''  him  not  to  go  up  to  Jeru- 
salem. 

13  Then  Paul  answered.  What  mean  ye  to  weep  and 
to  break  mine  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready '  not  to  be  bound 
only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

14  And  when  he  would  not  be  persuaded,  we  ceased, 
saying,  The  will  J  of  the  Lord  be  done. 

15  And  after  those  days  we  took  up  our  carriages, 
and  went  up  to  Jerusalem. 

16  There  went  with  us  also  certain  of  the  disciples 


of  Csesarea,  and  brought  with  them  one  Mnason  of 
Cyprus,  an  old  disciple,''  with  whom  we  should  lodge. 

17  And  when  we  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  the  breth- 
ren received  us'  gladly. 

18  And  the  day  following  Paul  went  in  with  us  unto 
James  ;'"  and  all  the  elders  were  present. 

19  And  when  he  had  saluted  them,  he  declared  par- 
ticularly what  things  n  God  had  wrought  among  the 
Gentiles  by  his"  ministry. 

20  And  when  they  heard  zV,  they  glorified  the  Lord ; 
and  said  unto  him.  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many 
thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which  believe ;  and  they 
are  all  zealous  p  of  the  law  : 

21  And  they  are  informed  of  thee,  that  thou  teachest 
all  the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles  to  forsake 
Moses,  saying  that  they  ought  not  to  circumcise ''  their 
children,  neither  to  walk  after  the  customs. 


f  -reree  33;  ch.  20  :23....U  Matt.  16  :  22,  23....i  2  Tim.  4  :  6 j  Matt.  6  :  10;  26:42....k  Prov.  16  :  31....1  cli.  15  •  4.  ...m  c'j.  16  :  13,  etc.; 

Gal.  1  :  19 n  Rom.  15  :  18,  19...  o  ch.20:  24;  2  Cor.  12  :  12  ...pch.  22  :  3 ;   Rom.  10  :  2 q  Gal.  5  :  3. 


5^^:^^^^^^^ 


THE    GIRDLE. 

pected  manner,  to  Paul's  prayers  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  Rome  (Rom.  i :  10). — And  to  break 
mine  heart.  An  indication  of  the  strength  of 
PauPs  sympathies  ;  though  not  to  be  shaken  in 
his  purpose,  he  is  deeply  affected  by  the  tears 
and  entreaties  of  his  friends. — The  will  of  the 
IjOrd  be  done.  There  is  small  ground  for  Al- 
ford's  deduction  from  this  sentence  that  the 
Lord's  Prayer  was  used  in  the  apostolic  church, 
though  it  is  every  way  probable  that  such  was 
the  fact.  The  disciples  recognized  in  Paul's 
determination  an  indication  of  the  divine  will. 
Their  course  illustrates  the  nature  of  true  sub- 
mission ;  they  exercise  their  own  judgment, 
exert  all  their  influence  for  the  course  which 
eeems  to  them  wise,  but  cheerfully  acquiesce 
when  convinced  that  the  Lord's  will  is  otherwise. 
15,  16.  We  packed  up  our  baggage.  Car- 
riages in  the  modem  sense  of  the  term  were  un- 
known to  the  ancients.  Chariots  and  rude  carts 
were  sometimes  employed,  but  travel  was,  for 
the  most  part,  then,  as  now,  on  horseback,  or 
on  camels ;  the  term  carriage  in  the  Bible  is  gen- 


erally used  in  the  old  English  sense  of  baggage. 
There  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  reading  here, 
some  MSS.  give  (urtoffzEvoJoi)  having  packed 
away,  i.  e.  stored,  in  Csesarea  the  luggage 
required  on  the  sea-voyage;  others  give  {inia- 
y.£ru':w)  having  packed  np,  i.  e.,  in  bundles  upon 
mules  or  horses  for  the  journey  to  Jerusa- 
lem.— And  brought  us  to  one  Mnason  of 
Cyprus.  This  is  the  most  probable  rendering. 
So  Hackett  and  Alford.  The  words  ivith  them 
are  not  in  the  original.  Nothing  more  is  known 
of  Mnason  ;  he  was  probably  a  resident  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  a  disciple  from  the  days  of  Pentecost ; 
or  possibly,  as  Alford  surmises,  he  may  have  been 
a  personal  disciple  of  Christ. 

17-19.  The  brethren  are  the  lay  members  of 
the  church  at  Jerusalem ;  James  is  the  brother 
of  the  Lord,  who  occupied,  perhaps  by  reason  of 
his  relationship  to  the  Lord,  a  position  of  special 
prominence  in  the  church  (see  ch.  15 :  13,  note) ;  the 
elders  are  the  officers  of  the  local  church ;  the 
apostles  are  not  mentioned,  probably  because 
absent  from  the  city  in  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
Some  may  already  have  been  dead,  Paul,  after 
the  personal  and  informal  interviews  with  the 
lay  brethren,  probably  at  the  house  of  Mnason, 
mentioned  in  ver.  17,  meets  with  the  officers  of 
the  church,  to  give  them  a  qiiasi  official  report 
of  his  work,  which  he  does  particularly,  i.  e.,  in 
detail. 

20,  21.  And  when  they  (the  elders)  heard 
it,  they  glorified  God.  The  best  MSS.  have 
Ood,  not  the  Lord.  A  service  of  prayer  or  praise 
is  indicated.  —  Thou  seest.  They  appeal  to 
Paul's  own  experience  and  observation. — How 
many  myriads  of  Jews  there  are.  A  general 
phrase,  signifying  simply  a  large  number.  Not 
only  the  dwellers  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  those 
who  had  come  up  to  the  feast,  would  be  includ- 
ed in  this  number.  On  the  early  growth  of  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  see  chaps.  3  :  41^7; 
4  :  4,  31-33 ;  5  :  12-16.  While  these  converted 
Jews  believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and 
perhaps  looked  for  his  second  coming,  they  still 


Ch.  XXL] 


THE  ACTS. 


227 


22  What  is  it  therefore  ?  the  multitude  must  needs 
come  together  :  ■■  for  they  will  hear  that  thou  art  come. 

23  Do  therefore  this  that  we  say  to  thee :  We  have 
four  men  which  have  a  vow  on  them  ; 

24  Them  take,  and  purify  thyself  with  them,  and  be 
at  charges  with  them,  that  they  may  shave"  their 
heads :  and  all  may  know,  that  those  things,  whereof 
they  were  informed  concerning  thee,  are  nothing  ;  but 


that  thou  thyself  also  walkest  orderly,  and  keepest  the 
law. 

25  As  touching  the  Gentiles  which  believe,  we'  have 
written,  and  concluded  that  they  observe  no  such 
thing,  save  only  that  they  keep  themselves  from  things 
offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  strangled, 
and  from  fornication. 

26  Then  Paul  took  the  men,"  and  the  next  day  puri- 


r  ch.  19  :  32 t  ch.  18  :  18 ;  Numb.  6  :  2,  13,  18 ....  t  ch.  15  :  20,  29 u  1  Cor.  9  :  20. 


held  to  the  obligations  of  the  ceremonial  law, 
and  that  Gentiles  could  become  Christians  only 
through  circumcision,  that  is,  by  first  becoming 
Jews  (ch.  15 : 1).— They  are  informed  of  thee. 
Rather,  tliey  are  possessed  of  the  idea  concerning 
thee.  The  strength  of  the  original  is  inade- 
quately rendered  by  our  English  version. — That 
thou  teachest,  etc.  What  Paul  did  teach 
was  that  neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision 
was  of  any  consequence  (Gai.  5 : 6 ;  6 :  15) ;  that  the 
uncircumcised  need  not  be  circumcised,  and  that 
the  circumcised  should  not  become  uncircum- 
cised (1  Cor.  7  :  18,  19) ;  that  Jew  and  Gentile  are 
alike  guilty  before  God,  and  are  saved  only 
by  the  grace  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  (Rom. 
chaps.  1-3).  He  is  accused  of  teaching  the  Jews  to 
apostatize  {anoatuala)  from  the  law  of  Moses 
and  to  discontinue  circumcision,  and  this,  not 
as  their  liberty,  but  as  an  obligation  imposed  on 
tasm  by  the  Gospel. 

22-25.  What  is  it,  therefore  ?  That  the 
occasion  requires. — It  must  needs  be  that  a 
multitude  will  come  together.  Not  the 
multitude,  i.  e.,  of  Christians  in  an  orderly  assem- 
blage for  consultation,  but  a  multitude,  i.  e.,  of 
Jews  and  Jewish  Christians,  hostile  to  Paul  and 
excited  by  his  presence. — We  have  four  men. 
The  language  implies  that  they  were  Christian 
believers. — Which  have  a  vow  on  them. 
Probably  the  Nazarite  vow ;  for  description  of 
which,  see  ch.  18  :  18,  note.  Baumgarten  re- 
marks that  this  is  a  vow  of  the  most  extreme 
abstinence  and  purification;  Paul's  public  appro- 
bation of  it,  therefore,  would  be  a  complete 
refutation  of  the  charge  that  he  forbade  Jews 
from  obeying  the  ceremonial  law. — Become  a 
Nazarite  with  them.  This  appears  to  be 
the  significance  of  the  original.  The  Greek  verb 
rendered  purify  thyself  {dyvlt^iu)  is  used  in  the 
Septuagint  (Numb.  6 : 3)  in  describing  the  Nazar- 
ite's  duties.  Paul  was  to  enter  upon  the  same 
course  of  abstinence  and  religious  consecration 
as  the  four  men. — And  be  at  charges  for 
them.  The  offerings  required  (Numb.  6 :  \x-\h) 
involved  considerable  expense  ;  others  than  the 
Nazarites  sometimes  shared  in  it,  and  thus  in- 
directly participated  in  the  supposed  advan- 
tages of  the  vow.  Thus  Agrippa  I,  on  arriving 
from  Rome  to  take  possession  of  his  throne,  as  a 
means  of  purchasing  popularity,  paid  the  ex- 
pense of  numerous  indigent  Nazarites.  —  That 


they  may  shave  their  heads.  Not  until  the 
appointed  offerings  had  been  made,  could  the 
vow  be  fulfilled  and  the  hair  cut.  The  shaving 
of  heads  in  connection  with  religious  vows  is  cus- 
tomary among  the  Mohammedans  to  the  present 
day.  The  modern  barber's  shop  is  probably  the 
same  in  essential  characteristics  as  that  of  the 
days  of  Ezekiel  (Ezek.  5 : 1).  The  customer  sits  on 
the  divan,  or  on  a  low  chair,  and  often  leans 
against  the  side  of  the  room.  The  barber  is  the 
newsvender  of  the  East ;  while  he  shaves  he 
chats  and  exchanges  the  latest  news  with  his 
customers.  Pipes  and  coffee  are  brought  from 
the  nearest  shop  for  those  who  may  wish  for 
them  whUe  waiting  to  be  served.  The  hand- 
basin  used  for  washing  the  beard  has  a  crescent- 
shaped  piece  cut  from  the  side,  as  shown  on  the 
wall,  the  better  to  fit  close  under  the  chin.  This 
basin  and  the  razor  are  the  signs  of  a  barber 
in  the  East. — Walkest  orderly.  Literally, 
according  to  rule,  i.  e.,  the  Jewish  ceremonial. 
But  there  is  small  evidence  that  Paul  did  so. 
Partly  owing  to  natural  temperament,  partly  to 
a  more  teachable  disposition,  partly  to  the  very 
thoroughness  of  the  change  wrought  in  his  intel- 
lectual convictions  at  the  time  of  his  conversion, 
and  partly  from  the  broadening  effect  of  travel, 
Paul  was  emancipated  from  the  law  more  thor- 
oughly than  James  and  the  elders  who  had  re- 


228 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXL 


fying  himself  with  them,  entered' into  the  temple,  to 
signify  the  accomplishment"  of  the  days  of  purifica- 
'  tion,  until  that  an  offering  should  be  offered  for  every 
one  of  them. 

27  And  when  the  seven  days  were  almost  ended,  the 
Jews  "  which  were  of  Asia,  when  they  saw  him  in  the 
temple,  stirred  up  all  the  people,  and  laid  hands  1  on 
him, 

28  Crying  out,  Men  of  Israel,  help  :  this  is  the  man, 
that  teacheth^all  men  everywhere  against  the  peo- 
ple, and  the  law,  and  this  place :  and  further,  brought 


Greeks  also  into  the  temple,  and  hath  polluted  this 
holy  place. 

29  (For  they  had  seen  before  with  him,  in  the  city, 
Trophimus^an  Ephesian,  whom  they  supposed  that 
Paul  had  brought  into  the  temple.) 

30  And  all  the  city  was  moved,  and  the  people  ran 
together :  and  they  took  Paul,  and  drew  him  out  of 
the  temple :  and  forthwith  the  doors  were  shut. 

31  And  as  they  went  about ''  to  kill  him,  tidings  came 
unto  the  chief  captain  of  the  band,  that  all  Jerusalem 
was  in  an  uproar : 


Numb.  6:  13.... i  ch.  24  :  18.... y  ch.  26  :  21... 


,  6  :  13, 14 ;  24  :  6,  6 a  ch.  20  :  4. . .  .b  2  Cor.  11  :  23,  etc. 


mained  at  Jeausalem.  The  commentators  gen- 
erally appear  solicitous  to  show  that  Paul,  in  fol- 
lowing this  advice,  did  nothing  inconsistent  with 
his  teaching.  Perhaps  not.  Yet  it  appears  to 
me  very  clear  that  he  did  from  policy  what  he 
would  not  have  done  from  preference,  nor  felt 
called  on  to  do  by  religious  principle,  and  that 
the  lesson  which  this  incident  is  intended  to 
teach  is  this,  that  embittered  prejudices  are  sel- 
dom overcome,  and  the  cause  of  truth  is  seldom 
advanced  by  any  policy,  however  adroit,  which 
involves  any  veiling  or  concealment  of  the  truth. 
—  We  have  written.  In  the  resolutions 
passed  by  the   so-called  council  of  Jerusalem 

(ch.  16  :  23-29). 

26-30.  In  the  temple.    For  plan  and  full 

description,  see  John  2  :  13-17,  notes ;  for  illus- 
tration, vol.  I,  p.  257,  It  must  suffice  here  to  say 
that  the  Temple  consisted  of  a  series  of  courts ; 
the  court  of  the  priests,  the  court  of  Israel,  the 
court  of  the  women,  and  the  court  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  that  no  Gentile  was  permitted  to  pass 
this  outer  court  into  the  interior  of  the  Temple 
under  pain  of  death.  The  tower  of  Antonia, 
built  upon  the  same  broad  platform  of  solid  rock 
with  the  Temple,  and  adjoining  it,  overlooked 
the  Temple  courts ;  it  was  at  once  the  palace  of  the 
Roman  governor  and  the  barracks  of  his  legions. 
"The  inward  parts  had  the  largeness  and  form 
of  a  palace,  it  being  parted  into  all  kinds  of 
rooms  and  other  conveniences,  such  as  courts, 
and  places  for  bathing,  and  broad  spaces  for 
camps,  insomuch  that,  by  having  all  conven- 
iences that  cities  wanted,  it  might  seem  to  be 
composed  of  several  cities,  but  by  its  magnifi- 
cence, it  seemed  a  palace ;  and,  as  the  entire 
structure  resembled  a  tower,  it  contained  also 
four  other  distinct  towers  at  its  four  comers, 
whereof  the  others  were  but  50  cubits  high  ; 
whereas  that  which  lays  upon  the  southeast  cor- 
ner was  70  cubits  high,  that  from  thence  the 
whole  Temple  might  be  viewed  ;  but  on  the  cor- 
ner where  it  joined  to  the  cloisters  of  the  Tem- 
ple, it  had  passages  down  to  them  both,  through 
which  the  guard  (for  there  lay  in  this  tower  a 
Roman  legion)  went  several  ways  among  these 
cloisters  with  their  arms,  on  the  Jewish  festivals, 
in  order  to  watch  the  people,  that  they  might 
not  there  attempt  to  make  any  innovations." — 


{Josephus'  Wars,  5  :  5,  8).  Paul  entered  into  the 
inner  Temple,  the  court  of  Israel,  with  his  four 
companions  ;  the  mob  caught  him  and  drew  him 
out  into  the  court  of  the  Gentiles ;  the  gates 
leading  from  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  into  the 
Temple  proper  were  then  closed;  news  of  the 
mob  being  carried  to  the  chief-captain,  he  came 
at  once  with  a  guard  from  the  adjoining  tower  of 
Antonia  and  rescued  the  apostle.  —  Making 
known  (to  the  ministers  of  the  Temple)  the 
accomplishment  of  the  days  of  the  puri> 
iication,  i.e.,  that  he  had  come  to  accomplish 
them.  This  appears  to  be  the  significance  of  the 
original. — And  w^hen  the  seven  days  were 
almost  ended.  What  seven  days  are  intended 
is  uncertain ;  apparently  the  vow  of  these  Nazar- 
ites  extended  for  seven  days  further,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  time,  they  would  be  released 
from  it.  According  to  the  Rabbis,  the  shortest 
term  of  the  vow  was  thirty  days. — The  JeAVS 
which  were  of  Asia.  The  province  where 
Paul  had  been  teaching,  and  where  he  encoun- 
tered, as  everywhere,  opposition  from  the  Jews 
(ch.  19 : 8). — Laid  hands  on  him.  This  was  not 
a  legal  arrest  by  the  Temple  police,  but  an  act  of 
mob  violence. — Crying  out  *  *  *  hath 
polluted  this  holy  place.  By  biinging  Gen- 
tiles into  this  inner  court,  which  was  forbidden 
them.  Observe  how  malice  puts  an  uncharit- 
able construction  upon  a  doubtful  act  and  judges 
without  investigation.  Seeing  strangers  Avith 
Paul  in  the  Temple,  the  Jews  assume  that  they 
are  Gentiles  brought  in  for  the  purpose  of  pol- 
luting the  sacred  place  ;  they  do  not  even  inquire 
whether  they  may  be  Jews  engaged  in  an  act  of 
orderly  worship.  Observe,  too,  how  Paul  here  is 
subjected  to  the  same  charge  brought  with  his 
approbation  against  Stephen  (eh.  6 :  is).  —  The 
doors  were  shut.  By  the  Levites  who  had 
charge  of  the  Temple.  This  was  done  possibly 
to  prevent  Paul's  escaping  from  the  mob  to  the 
altar  for  refuge  (Exod.  21 :  13,  i4;  1  Kings  2 :  28) ;  more 
probably  to  shut  out  the  mob,  whose  incursion 
would  pollute  the  Holy  Place.  The  Levites 
were  careful  to  protect  the  court,  but  not  the  life 
of  a  worshipper.     See  Luke  10  :  31,  32. 

31-3G.  Unto  the  chief-captain  of  the 
band.  The  chiliarch  or  tribune,  Claudius  Ly- 
sias  (ch.  23 :  26;.    Nothing  is  known  of  him,  except 


Ch.  XXIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


229 


32  Who "  immediately  took  soldiers  and  centurions, 
and  ran  down  unto  them :  and  when  they  saw  the 
chief  captain  and  the  soldiers,  they  left  beating  of  Paul. 

33  Then  the  chief  captain  came  near,  and  took  him, 
and  commanded  him  to  be  bound  *■  with  two  chains  ; 
and  demanded  who  he  was,  and  what  he  liad  done. 

34  And  some  cried  one  thing,  some  another,  among 
the  multitude:  and  when  he  could  not  know  the  cer- 
tainty for  the  tumult,  he  commanded  him  to  be  carried 
into  the  castle-i^ 

35  And  when  he  came  upon  the  stairs,  so  it  was,  that 
he  was  borne  of  the  soldiers,  for  the  violence  f  of  the 
people. 

36  For  the  multitude  of  the  people  followed  after, 
crying,  Away^  with  him  ! 

37  And  as  Paul  was  to  be  led  into  the  castle,  he  said 
unto  the  chief  captain.  May  I  speak  unto  thee  ?  Who 
said.  Canst  thou  speak  Greek  ? 

38  Art  not  thou  that  Egyptian,  which  before  these 
days  madest  an  uproar,  and  leddest  out  into  the  wil- 
derness four  thousand  men  that  were  murderers  ? 


39  But  Paul  said,  P  am  a  man  which  am  a  Jew  of 
Tarsus,  a  city  in  Cilicia,  a'  citizen  of  no  mean  city: 
and,  I  beseech  thee,  suffer  me  to  speak  unto  the  peo- 
j)le. 

40  And  when  he  had  given  him  licence,  Paul  stood 
on  the  stairs,  and  beckoned  J  with  the  hand  unto  the 
people.  And  when  there  was  made  a  great  silence,  he 
spake  unto  them  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  saying, 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

MEN,''  brethren,  and  fathers,  hear  ye  my  defence,' 
which  I  make  now  unto  you. 

2  (And  when  they  heard  that  he  spake  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  to  them,  they  kept  the  more  silence :  and  he 
saith,) 

3  I  am  "  verily  a  man  which  am  a  Jew,  bom  in  Tar- 
sus, a  city  in  Cilicia,  yet  brought  up  in  this  city,  at  the 
feet  of"  Gamaliel,  and  taught  according"  to  the  per- 
fect manner  of  the  law  of  the  fathers,  and  was?  zeal- 
ous toward  God,  as  ye  1  all  are  this  day. 


c  cLnps.  53  :  27  ;  24  :  7 d  verse  11 ;  ch.  20  :  23  ;   Ephes.  6  :  20 e  ch.  23  :  10, 16 f  Ps.  65  :  9 ;    Hab.  1:3 g  ch.  22  :  22 ;   Luke  S3  :  13 ; 

Juhn  19  :  15;  1  Cor.  4  :  13...   .h  chaps.  9  :  11 ;  22:  3.... i  ch.  22:  25.... i  ch.  12:  17.... k  ch.  7  :2....l  1  Pet.  3:  15....m  ch.  21  ;39;    2  Cor. 
11  :  22;   PhU.  3:  5....n  ch.  6:34....o  ch.  26:6....p  Gal.  1  :  14.. ..q  ch.  21  :  20;  Rom.  10  :  2. 


6uch  information  as  is  afforded  by  the  account 
of  him,  in  this  and  the  succeeding  chapter.  The 
Roman  army  was  divided  into  legions  of  from 
three  thousand  to  six  thousand  soldiers,  each 
legion  being  under  six  tribunes,  who  commanded 
in  turn.  This  chief-captain  was  such  a  tribune, 
answering  somewhat  to  a  colonel,  or  perhaps  a 
brigade  commander  in  theU.  S.  army. — Soldiers 
and  centurions.  The  centurion  was  the  com- 
mander of  a  century,  equivalent  to  the  modem 
company,  and  varying  in  strength  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  men. —  Ran  down.  From  the 
adjoining  tower  of  Antonia.  See  above. — When 
they  saw.  The  sight  of  the  Roman  soldiery 
was  enough  to  intimidate  the  mob ;  they  did  not 
wait  for  actual  interference. — Bound  Avith 
two  chains.  To  two  soldiers,  one  on  each  side 
of  him.  See  chaps.  12  :  6,  note;  28  :  16. —  Into 
the  castle.  Literally,  the  garrison  or  barracks  ; 
i.  c,  that  portion  of  the  tower  occupied  by  the 
troops ;  it  furnished  quarters  for  five  hundred 
soldiers. — Upon  the  stairs.  Leading  up  into 
the  tower. — He  was  borne  of  the  soldiers. 
That  is,  lifted  up  from  the  ground  and  carried 
bodily  into  the  tower. — Away  with  him.  The 
same  cry  which  echoed  before  this  same  tower 
of  Antonia  against  Paul's  Lord  (John  19 :  15). 

37-40.  As  Paul  Avas  about  to  be  led 
into  the  barracks.  Either  for  imprisonment 
or  for  scourging  (ch.  23 :  23, 24).  —  Canst  thou 
speak  Greek  ?  In  which  language  Paul  had 
addressed  him.  His  speech  surprises  the  chief- 
captain,  who  had  confounded  Paul  with  the 
Egyptian  impostor  mentioned  in  the  next  verse. 
— Art  not  thou  that  Egyptian  ?  Rather, 
Thou  art  not,  then.  The  allusion  is  here  evi- 
dently to  something  well  known  and  compara- 
tively recent  in  occurrence.  Josephus  speaks 
of  an  Egyptian  impostor,  giving  two  different 
and  somewhat  discrepant  accounts  of  him.    It 


seems,  however,  from  both,  that  an  Egyptian, 
with  a  band  of  robbers  called  Sicarii,  probably 
the  Assassins,  whose  organized  depredations  are 
a  matter  of  history,  gathered  a  rabble  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Jerusalem,  and  took  them  out 
of  the  city,  promising  to  show  them  that  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem  would  fall  at  his  command. 
Felix  scattered  them,  killing,  wounding  and  tak- 
ing prisoners  apart,  the  rest  dispersing  or  follow- 
ing the  false  prophet  into  the  wilderness.  For 
a  fuUer  account,  see  his  Wa7-s  of  the  Jews  2  :  13,  5, 
and  Ajit.  20  :  7,  C— Of  Tarsus.  See  ch.  9  :  30, 
note,  for  description  and  illustration. — I  be- 
seech thee  suffer  me  to  speak,  etc.  Observe 
the  indications  of  Paul's  self-possession,  confi- 
dence in  his  cause,  native  dignity,  and  personal 
power.  Unawed  by  the  mob,  he  desires  to 
address  them ;  by  his  personal  weight  secures 
permission  from  the  chief-captain ;  and  there, 
chained  to  the  two  soldiers,  his  hair  and  gar- 
ments still  disordered  by  the  rough  handling  he 
has  received,  with  a  gesture  he  silences  the 
crowd,  and  secures  an  audience.  We  no  longer 
wonder  that  this  man  wished  to  go  into  the  thea- 
tre at  Ephesus  and  face  the  mob  there  (ch.  19 :  30). 


Ch.  22  :  1,2.    In  the  Hebrew  tongue. 

The  Syro-Chaldaic,  the  mother-tongue  of  the 
Jews  in  Judea  at  this  time,  and  the  one,  there- 
fore, most  likely  to  secure  the  attention  of 
the  mob.  Observe  that  Paul  speaks  with  equal 
fluency  the  Greek  and  the  Hebrew.  Comp.  ch. 
21  :  37.  Luke's  version  of  this  speech  is,  of 
course,  Greek ;  the  peculiarities  in  the  phrase- 
ology indicate  that  it  was  translated  from  the 
Hebrew  by  Luke,  who  was  present  in  Jerusalem 
(ch.  21 :  17),  and  not  improbably  himself  heard  the 
speech. 

3.  I  am  a  man  a  Jew.    That  is,  by  parent- 
age.   Both  parents  were  Hebrews  (phu.  3 :  s). — lu 


^30 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


4  And  I  persecuted'  this  way  unto  the  death,  bind- 
ing and  delivering  into  prisons  both  men  and  women. 

5  As  also  the  high  priest  doth  bear  me  witness,  and 
all  the  estate  of  the  elders:  from  whom  also  I  received 
letters  unto  the  brethren,  and  went  to  Damascus,"  to 
bring  them  which  were  there  bound  unto  Jerusalem, 
for  to  be  punished. 

6  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  I  made  my  journey, 
and  was  come  nigh  unto  Damascus  about  noon,  sud- 
denly there  shone  from  heaven  a  great  light  round 
about  me. 

7  And  I  fell  unto  the  ground,  and  heard  a  voice  say- 
ing unto  me,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 

8  And  I  answered,  Who  art  thou.  Lord?    And  he 


said  unto  me,  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  per- 
secutest. 

9  And  they  that  were  with  me  saw '  indeed  the  light, 
and  were  afraid  :  but  they  heard  not  the  voice  of  nim 
that  spake  to  me. 

10  And  I  said.  What  shall  I  do, Lord?  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  me,  Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus ;  and  there 
it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  appointed 
for  thee  to  do. 

11  And  when  I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of  thrt 
light,  being  led  by  the  hand  of  them  that  were  with 
me,  I  came  into  Damascus. 

12  And  one  Ananias,"  a  devout  man  according  to  the 
law,  having  a  good'  report  of  all  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  there. 


.8:3;  26  :  9-13 ;  Phil.  3  :  6  ;  1  Tim.  1:13 s  ch.  9  :  2,  etc 1  Dan.  10  :  7 u  ch.  9  :  17 v  ch.  10  :  22 ;  1  Tim.  3:7;  Heb.  11:2. 


Tarsus  of  CHicia.  For  description  and  illus- 
tration, see  ch.  9:30,  note. —  Brought  up  in 
this  city.  The  original  implies,  as  in  ch.  7  :  31, 
from  early  youth.  See  ch.  26  :  4.— At  the  feet 
of  Gamaliel.  On  his  history  and  character, 
€ee  ch.  5  :  34,  note.  Schools  were  established  in 
connection  with  every  Jewish  community  ;  the 
proper  number  of  pupils  to  the  single  teacher 
was  fixed  by  Rabbinical  regulations  at  twenty- 
five,  the  proper  age  to  go  to  school  at  six.  Be- 
sides these  primary  schools,  there  were  higher 
institutions  at  Jerusalem,  where  young  men 
were  trained  who  proposed  to  become  teachers 
of  Israel.  The  principal  themes  of  study  were 
the  law  and  the  commentaries  of  the  Scribes 
thereon,  but  all  subjects  were  discussed  —  the- 
ology, philosophy,  jurisprudence,  astronomy, 
astrology,  medicine,  botany,  geography,  arith- 
metic, architecture.  The  mode  of  teaching  was 
chiefly  catechetical.  The  master  delivered  his 
lecture  and  the  disciples  in  turn  asked  ques- 
tions; or  he  interrogated  them  and  based  his 
teaching  on  the  various  replies  given.  Stories, 
anecdotes,  riddles,  and  parables,  were  all  woven 
into  the  discussions.  The  pupils  generally  sat 
on  the  floor  cross-legged,  and  the  teacher  on  a 
platform  or  dais  a  little  raised  above  them  ;  this, 
at  least,  is  the  modern  Oriental  fashion,  and  it 
probably  has  descended  unchanged  from  the  first 
century. — Taught  according  to  the  strict 
interpretation  {a/Mfua)  of  the  laAV  of  the 
fathers.  —  That  is,  according  to  the  stricter 
school  of  the  Pharisees,  who  were  divided  into 
two  parties,  the  conservative  or  stricter  sect, 
and  the  progressive  or  liberal  sect.  Paul  was 
educated  according  to  the  former.  So  in  ch. 
26  :  5,  "After  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  reli- 
gion, I  lived  a  Pharisee." — And  was  zealous 
toward  God.  But  not  full  of  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  on  the  contrary,  full  of  self-confidence. 
This  is  implied  in  Phil.  3  :  4.  Zeal,  without 
humility  and  love,  may  only  lead  to  sin  and 
death. — As  ye  all  are  this  day.  Observe 
how  Paul  seeks  to  find  a  foundation  of  sympathy 
between  himself  and  his  auditors.  Comp.  ch. 
17  :  22,  note. 


4,  5.  I  persecuted  this  way.  That  is, 
those  that  were  in  the  way  of  the  Lord  (iviatt.  3:3); 
in  other  words,  followers  of  Christ.  So  in  ch. 
9:2;  18:25;  19  : 9,  etc. —  Unto  the  death. 
Paul  gives  fuller  details  of  this  persecution  in 
his  speech  before  Agrippa  (ch.  26 :  lo,  ii). — The 
high-priest.  Theophilus,  the  brother  and  suc- 
cessor to  Jonathan,  who  succeeded  Caiaphas. 
He  was  still  living,  and  to  his  witness  Paul  ap- 
peals.— And  all  the  estate  of  the  elders. 
Here  the  lay  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  which 
issued  the  letters  of  authority,  at  his  request 
(ch.  9 : 2). — Unto  the  brethren.  That  is,  his 
Jewish  brethren  at  Damascus.  In  ch.  9  :  2  the 
language  is  "to  the  synagogues."  Here  Paul 
is  emphasizing  his  Jewish  character ;  to  the  mob 
of  Jews  he  speaks  as  himself  a  Jew.  —  Them 
which  were  there.  In  the  previous  persecu- 
tion Christians  may  have  fled  as  far  as  Damascus 
(ch.  8  :  i),  or  after  the  Pentecost  Damascus  con- 
verts may  have  returned  thither. 

6-11.  Of  Saul's  conversion  there  are  three 
accounts,  viz.,  here  and  in  chaps.  9  and  26.  For 
a  comparison  of  the  three,  showing  real  or  appa- 
rent discrepancies,  and  a  consideration  of  their 
true  harmony,  see  notes  on  ch.  9  :  1-9.  The 
words  in  ver.  9,  And  were  afraid,  are  omitted  by 
Tischendorf,  but  retained  by  Alford  and  Meyer. 
The  words  "They  heard  not  the  voice  of  him 
that  spake  to  me,"  signifies,  not  that  they  heard 
nothing,  but  that  they  did  not  distinguish  ar- 
ticulate words.  The  account  here  expressly 
states,  what  the  other  accounts  only  imply,  that 
the  cause  of  Paul's  temporary  blindness  was 
"the  glory  of  that  light." 

12-16.  A  devout  man,  according  to  the 
law,  having  a  good  report,  etc.  Facts  not 
mentioned  in  Luke's  account  of  Paul's  conver- 
sion, where  Ananias  is  only  described  as  a  disci- 
ple (ch.  9 :  lo) ;  referred  to  by  Paul  here,  the  better 
to  give  acceptance  with  his  Jewish  auditors,  to 
his  account  of  the  divine  commission  entrusted 
to  him.— Came  unto  me,  etc.  The  account  is 
more  full  in  ch.  9  :  17,  18.— The  God  of  our 
fathers.  Paul  again  classes  himself  with  the 
Jews.- Hath  destined  thee.    Literally,  Hath 


/       Ch.  XXII] 


THE  ACTS. 


/ 


231 


13  Came  unto  me,  and  stood,  and  said  unto  me, 
Brother  Saul,  receive  thy  sight.  And  the  same  hour  I 
loolced  up  upon  him. 

14  And  he  said,  The"  God  of  our  fathers  hath  cho- 
sen'' thee,  that  thou  shouldest  know  his  will,  and  see^ 
that  Just'  One,  and  shouldest  hear  the  voice"  of  his 
mouth. 

15  For  thou  ■>  shall  be  his  witness  unto  all  men,  of 
what  thou  hast  seen  and  heard. 

16  And  now,  why  tarriest  thou  ?  arise,  and  be  bap- 
tized, and  wash<=  away  thy  sins,  calling''  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  I  was  come  again 
to  Jerusalem,  even  while  I  prayed  in  the  temple,  I  was 
in  a  trance  ; ' 

18  And  saw '  him  saying  unto  me,  Make  haste,  and 


get  thee  quickly  out  of  Jerusalem :  for  they  will  not 
receive  thy  testimony  concerning  me. 

19  And  I  said.  Lord,  theys  know  that  I  imprisoned 
and  beat  in  every  synagogue  them  that  believed  on 
thee  : 

20  And  when  the  blood  of  thy  martyr  Stephen  was 
shed,  I h  also  was  standing  by,  and  consenting'  unto 
his  death,  and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him. 

21  And  he  said  unto  me.  Depart:  for  J  I  will  send 
thee  tar  hence  unto  the  Gentiles. 

22  And  they  gave  him  audience  unto  this  word,  and 
then  lifted  up  tfieir  voices,  and  said.  Away  with  such 
■a.  fellow  from  the  earth:  for''  it  is  not  fit  that  he  should 
live. 

23  And  as  they  cried  out,  and  cast  off  their  clothes, 
andi  threw  dust  into  the  air, 


chaps.  3  :  13;  5  :  30 x  ch.  9  :  15 ;  Gal.  1  :  15 y  verse  18;  1  Cnr.  9:1;  15  :  8 z  chaps.  3:  14;  7  :  52 a  1  Cor.  11  :  23:  Gal.  1  :  IS 

'    ch;ips.  23  :  11  ;   26  :  16,  etc c  Heb.  10  :  2> ;    1  Pet.  3  :  21 d  Rnm.  10  ;  13;  1  Cor.  I  :  2 e  2  Cor.  12  :  2 f  verse  14        g  verse 4'" 

ch.  8:  1....J  ch.  13:  2,47;  Rom.  1  :  5 ;  U  :  13;  IS  :  16;  Gal.  2  :  7,  8  ;  Ephe8.3:  7,8;  1  Tim.  2  :  7....k  ch.  25:24. 


h  cb.  7 


taken  thee  in  Jutnd.  The  language  here  inter- 
prets that  of  ch.  9  :  15,  He  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto 
me. — That  thou  shouldest  know  his  will. 

Being  guided    by  his  Spirit  (Rom.  12  :  2;    Ephes.  5  :  17; 

Col.  1  : 9). — And  see  that  Just  One,  etc.  The 
reference  is  to  the  revelation  made  to  Paul  just 
previously  (ch.  9 :  n,  2? ;  1  Cor.  9:1;  15 :  s). — Why  tar- 
riest thou  ?  If  one  might  ever  tarry  till  his 
sins  are  partly  purged  away,  before  coming  to 
Christ  for  a  free  pardon,  Paul  might  (i  Tim. 
1 :  12-ig).  The  words  of  Ananias  to  Paul  are  the 
Gospel's  response  to  the  spirit  of  procrastination. 
Observe  that  redemption  does  not  merely  relieve 
from  punishment,  but  washes  away  sin  (isa.  i :  is), 
and  that  sin  is  washed  away,  not  by  baptism, 
but  by  the  gift  of  God  which  is  accepted  in  bap- 
tism.   See  Ezek.  36  :  25-27. 

17.  When  I  was  come  again  to  Jerusa- 
lem. A  space  of  three  years  (cai.  i :  is)  is  passed 
over  by  Paul  without  a  word.  His  object  is  not  to 
furnish  an  autobiography,  but  to  give  the  Jews 
his  divine  authority  for  preaching  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. This  he  does  by  narrating  (1)  the  Lord's 
direction  to  him  to  go  into  Damascus  and  receive 
his  commission  there  (ver.  lo) ;  (2)  his  commission, 
as  given  by  Ananias  (vers.  i4, 15) ;  (3)  the  further 
command  given  directly  by  the  Lord  to  him  in  the 
Temple,  and  accepted  by  him,  apparently  with 
reluctance. — While  I  prayed  in  the  Tem- 
ple. Still  maintaining,  therefore,  his  respect  for 
the  holy  place.  Special  sacredness  attached,  in 
the  Jewish  estimate,  to  prayers  there  offered. — 
In  a  trance.    See  ch.  10  :  10,  note. 

18-21.  The  connection  appears  to  be  this. 
Paul  is  accused  of  preaching  against  the  law, 
and  profaning  the  Temple  (ch.  21 :  21,28) ;  in  his  de- 
fence he  asserts  that,  after  his  conversion,  he 
came  up  to  Jerusalem  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
his  own  countrymen  ;  the  Lord  commanded  him 
to  leave  the  city ;  he  remonstrated,  urging  that 
he  was  peculiarly  fitted  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
the  Jews,  because  known  to  them  as  one  who 
had  before  persecuted  the  Christians.  The 
providence  of  God  enforced  the  Word  of  God, 


and  drove  him  out  of  Jerusalem  (ch.  9 :  29,  so).  On 
the  use  of  synagogues  as  a  place  of  trial  and 
punishment,  see  Matt.  4  :  23,  note.  On  Paul's 
participation  in  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen,  see 
ch.  7  :  58,  note  ;  8  : 1,  note.  The  word  martyr 
{uuorvQ)  signifies  literally  2«i<«es.?,  and  might  be 
so  rendered  here.  In  early  ecclesiastical  litera- 
ture, the  word  is  used  in  its  modern  sense,  and 
this  appears  to  be  the  meaning  here  and  in  Rev. 
17  :  6 ;  everywhere  else  in  the  N.  T.  the  word  is 
rendered  witness.  By  his  sufferings  the  martyr 
is  a  witness  to  the  strength  of  that  grace  which 
sustains  him  in  them. 

22,  23.  The  doctrine  that  the  Messiah  was 
not  exclusively  for  the  Jews,  but  inaugurated  a 
kingdom  of  God  for  all  humanity,  invariably 
roused  the  ire  of  the  Jewish  people,  especially  of 
those  in  Jerusalem,  who  hoped  to  see  their  city 
the  mistress  of  the  world.    For  this  teaching 


OBIENTAiS   CASTING  OFF   THEIR   CLOTHES. 

Christ  was  mobbed  in  Nazareth  (Luke  4: 28, 29) ;  the 
same  teaching  in  the  Passover  week  was  the  im- 
mediate occasion  of  his  crucifixion  ;  and  for  reit- 


232 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXII. 


24  The  chief  captain  commanded  him  to  be  brought 
into  the  cactle,  and  bade  that  he  should  be  examined 
by  scourging ;  that  he  might  know  wherefore  they 
cried  so  against  him. 

25  And  as  they  bound  him  with  thongs,  Paul  said 
unto  the  centurion  that  stood  by,  Is  it  lawful  for  you 
to  scourge  a  man  that  is  a  Roman,'  and  uncondenined  ? 

26  When  the  centurion  heard  iAai,  he  went  and  told 
the  chief  captain,  saying,  Take  heed  what  thou  doest: 
for  this  man  is  a  Roman. 

27  Then  the  chief  captain  came,  and  said  unto  him, 
Tell  me,  art  thou  a  Roman  ?    He  said,  Yea. 


28  And  the  chief  captain  answered.  With  a  great 
sum  obtained  I  this  freedom.  And  Paul  said,  But  I 
w3LS_/ree  born. 

29  Then  straightway  they  departed  from  him  which 
should  have  examined  him  :  and  the  chief  captain  also 
was  afraid,  after  he  knew  that  he  was  a  Roman,  and 
because  he  had  bound  him. 

30  On  the  morrow,  because™  he  would  have  known 
the  certainty  wherefore  he  was  accused  of  the  Jews, 
he  loosed  him  from  /lis  bands,  and  commanded  the 
chief  priests  and  all  their  council  to  appear,  and 
brought  Paul  down,  and  set  him  before  them. 


1  chaps.  16  :  37  ;  S5  :  16 . . . .  m  ch.  23  :  28. 


erating  it,  Stephen  was  put  to  death  by  a  mob. 
The  men  did  not  lay  oif  their  clothes,  as  in  the 
case  of  Stephen,  to  stone  Paul,  for  he  was  in  the 
custody  of  the  soldiers,  and  the  force  was  too 
great  to  be  despised  ;  nor  was  this  a  formal  reli- 
gious act,  the  mere  shaking  off  the  dust  as  a  tes- 
timony against  Paul,  according  to  the  religious 
usages  of  the  East  (see  ch.  i8 : 6,  note),  but  an  act  of 
vehement  and  uncontrollable  rage,  increased  by 
their  very  sense  of  Impotence.  It  Is  still  not 
uncommon  in  the  East  to  throw  off  the  outer 
garment  and  trample  it  in  the  dust,  as  an  expres- 
sion of  anger  and  scorn.  The  accompanying 
illustration  by  Mr.  Rawson,  represents  this  act 
as  he  has  seen  it  in  the  East. 

24,  35.  Paul's  speech  has  been  unintelligi- 
ble to  the  Roman  chief-captain ;  he  judges  its 
character  only  by  its  results,  and  without  further 
inquiry  proceeds  to  examine  into  the  matter  by 
ordering  his  prisoner  to  be  scourged,  tUl  he  re- 
ports what  he  has  done  and  said  to  excite  the  ire 
of  the  mob.  For  illustration  of  the  Roman 
scourge,  see  Matt.  27  :  26,  note.  For  this  pur- 
pose Paul  is  brought  into  the  soldiers'  barracks ; 
while,  with  the  thongs,  a  sort  of  leathern  gear, 
they  are  binding  him  to  the  post  for  the  scourge, 
he  addresses  to  the  centurion,  who  is  charged 
with  the  execution  of  the  sentence,  the  Inquiry 
in  form,  the  remonstrance  in  fact,  of  ver.  25. 

26-28.  A  false  claim  of  Roman  citizenship 
was  punishable  with  death,  and,  being  easily 
detected,  was  seldom  made.  The  centurion, 
therefore,  unhesitatingly  credits  Paul's  implied 
claim  of  citizenship,  enforced  with  the  quiet  dig- 
nity with  which  it  was  preferred ;  the  chief-cap- 
tain comes  at  once  and  asks  Paul,  not  because  he 
doubts  the  statement,  but  in  consequence  of  his 
own  surprise,  and  perhaps  to  elicit  an  explana- 
tion of  the  fact.  This  is  implied  by  his  own 
statement  in  ver.  28.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
Roman  empire  were  divided  into  three  classes. 
Gives  or  citizens,  Latini  or  Latins,  and  Peregrini 
or  foreigners.  The  foreigners  were  without 
political  rights ;  the  citizens  had  full  political 
rights,  including,  under  the  republic,  suffrage 
and  eligibility  to  ofHce  ;  the  Latins  possessed 
part,  but  not  all,  the  rights  of  citizenship.  The 
privileges  of    citizenship  might  be  acquired  in 


several  ways,  chiefly  by  purchase  or  by  parent- 
age. In  what  way  Paul  acquired  them  is  a  mat- 
ter of  surmise.  They  would  not,  as  assumed  by 
some  writers,  belong  to  him  merely  as  a  native  of 
Tarsus,  though  a  free  city  ;  this  is  evident,  be- 
cause the  chief-captain  knew  him  to  be  a  native 
of  Tarsus  (ch.  21 :  39)  before  ordering  him  to  be 
scourged.  Captives  taken  in  war  were  often  re- 
duced to  slavery,  and  there  were  many  such  Jew- 
ish slaves  in  the  Roman  empire.  For  special  ser- 
vices these  were  sometimes  set  free,  and  the 
slave,  manumitted  with  due  formalities,  became 
a  citizen,  his  children  inheriting  citizenship  from 
him.  Paul's  frequent  references  in  his  epistles 
to  himself  as  a  bondman  or  slave  of  Jesus  Christ, 
coupled  with  the  fact  that  he  customarily  drew 
his  illustrations  so  largely  from  his  own  experi- 
ence, gives  some  color  to  the  hypothesis  that  he 
was  the  son  of  a  slave  thus  manumitted.  To 
scourge  a  Roman  citizen,  to  subject  him  to  any 
personal  violence,  to  deprive  him  of  a  fair  hear- 
ing on  any  charge  preferred  against  him,  to  deny 
him  the  right  of  appeal,  under  the  republic  to 
the  Senate,  under  the  empire  to  the  emperor, 
was  an  unpardonable  offence,  punishable,  as  trea- 
son, with  death.    See  ch.  16  :  38,  note. 

39,  30.  Paul  having  been  bound,  the  chief- 
captain  cannot  undo  what  he  has  done  ;  it  is, 
therefore,  his  interest  to  secure  an  accusation 
which  will  serve  as  a  justification  for  his  course. 
The  subordinate  officers  charged  with  the  exam- 
ination by  scourging,  withdraw  at  once,  without 
waiting  for  orders,  as  soon  as  they  learn  the 
facts ;  Paul  is  left  bound,  not  to  the  pillar,  but 
with  chains,  as  a  prisoner,  until  the  morrow; 
and  Lysias  then  summons  the  Sanhedrim,  to 
learn  what  charges  are  preferred  against  him. 
The  result  is  nothing  tangible  (ch.  23 : 9,  lo),  and  he 
consequently  seeks  to  avoid  the  danger  of  being 
called  to  account,  by  the  form  of  his  report  to 
Felix,  in  which  he  represents  himself  as  rescuing 
Paul,  because  he  was  a  Roman,  from  the  mob 
(ch.  23 :  26-3o).  The  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrim  here 
described  could  not  have  taken  place  in  the 
Temple,  which  no  Gentile  was  allowed  to  enter. 
It  probably  was  convened  in  a  room  on  Mount 
Zion,  across  the  valley  of  the  Tyropoean  from 
the  Temple  site  ;  according  to  tradition,  the  San- 


Ch.  XXIIL]  THE  ACTS. 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 


233 


AND  Paul,  earnestly  beholding  the  council,  said. 
Men  and  brethren,  I"  have  lived  in  all  good  con- 
science before  God  until  this  day. 

2  And  the  high  priest  Ananias  commanded  them  that 
stood  by  him  to  smite  him  "  on  the  mouth. 

3  Then  said  Paul  unto  him,  God  shall  smite  thee, 


thou  whited  wall :  for  sittestthou  to  judge  me  after  the 
law,  and  commandest  me  to  be  smitten  p  contrary  to 
the  law  ? 

4  And  they  that  stood  by  said,  Revilest  thou  God's 
high  priest  ? 

5  Then  said  Paul,  I  wist  not,  brethren,  that  he  was 
the  high  priest :  for  it  is  written,")  Thou  shalt  not  speak 
evil  ot  the  ruler  of  thy  people. 


n  ch.  24:  16;  2  Cor.  I  :  12;  Heb.  13:  18.... o  John  18  ;  22.... p  Lev.  19  :  35  ;  Deut.  25  :  1,2;  John  7  :  51..  ..q  Exod.  22  :  28  ;  Eccles.  10:20; 

2  Pet.  2  :  lU;  Jude  8. 


hedrin   transferred  its  sessions  to  such  a  room  a 
little  prior  to  this  time.     See  Lewin  2  :  149. 


Ch.  23  :  1-3.  And  Paul,  earnestly  be- 
holding the  council.  Among  them  were 
probably  some  of  those  with  whom  he  had  been 
associated  in  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen  twenty 
years  before,  and  from  whom  he  had  received  let- 
ters of  authority  for  pursuing  the  Christians  unto 
Damascus  (ch.  22 : 4,  s).  Alford  regards  the  lan- 
guage here,  earnestly  beholding,  as  an  indication 
of  that  infirmity  of  sight  with  which  the  apostle 
seems  to  have  been  afflicted  (oai.  4 :  13-15,  note) ;  I 
should  rather  regard  it  as  an  indication  of  that 
power  of  the  eye  which  is  often  a  characteristic 
of  the  most  effective  orators.  See  ch.  13  :  9, 
note. — 3Ien  and  brethren,  I  have  lived  in 
all  good  conscience  before  God.  Observe 
Paul  addresses  them  as  an  equal,  having  been 
himself  probably  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin  (ch. 
1 :  58,  note).  It  is  difficult  to  cxprcss  in  English  the 
full  significance  of  the  original  Greek  verb  here 
inadequately  rendered  lived  {noXiTtvaj).  It  may 
be  paraphrased,  /  have  ordered  my  life  and  con- 
duct as  a  good  citizen  unto  God.  He  is  accused 
(ch.  21 :  21)  of  teaching  the  Jews  to  apostatize  from 
the  laws  of  Moses  ;  he  replies  that  he  has  Uved 
according  to  those  laws.  Comp.  with  his  lan- 
guage here  ch.  21  :  16 ;  2  Tim.  1:3;  Heb.  13  :  18. 
For  the  characteristics  and  accompaniment  of 
a  good  conscience,  see  1  Tim.  1  :  5,  19 ;  3:9; 
2  Tim.  1  : 3 ;  1  Pet.  3  :  15, 16.  See  also  1  Cor.  8  : 7, 
12  ;  1  Tim.  4:2;  Tit.  1  :  15 ;  Heb.  10  :  22.— And 
the  high-priest  Ananias.  The  son  of  Nehe- 
dacus,  appointed  high-priest  by  Herod,  king  of 
Chalcis,  A.  D.  48,  and  succeeding  Joseph,  son  of 
Camithus.  He  was  sent  to  Rome  a.  d.  52  by  the 
Procurator  Cumanus,  on  a  charge  of  oppression 
brought  against  him  by  the  Samaritans,  but  was 
acquitted,  and  probably  resumed  his  office.  He 
was  deposed  shortly  before  Felix  quitted  his 
government,  and  was  assassinated  by  the  sicaril 
at  the  beginning  of  the  last  Jewish  war. — To 
smite  him  on  the  mouth.  This  mode  of  en- 
joining silence  is  practised  at  the  present  day  in 
the  Oriental  courts. — God  shall  smite  thee, 
thou  whited  wall.  A  reference  to  the  annual 
whitewashing  of  the  sepulchres  by  the  Jews, 
that  all  might  know  that  the  place  was  unclean, 
and  to  be  avoided.    See  Matt.  23  :  27,  note.    As 


a  prophecy  these  words  were  fulfilled  by  the 
death  of  Ananias,  by  assassins. — Sittest  thou  to 
judge  me  after  the  law,  etc.  The  meaning 
ajjpears  to  be  this.  Do  you  judge  me,  for  a  disre- 
gard of  the  ceremonial  law,  and  yourself  disre- 
gard that  judgment  which  is  one  of  the  weigh- 
tier matters  of  the  law  V  (Matt.  23 :  23.)  The  act  of 
Ananias  violated  the  Mosaic  precepts  (Lev.  19 :  35 ; 
Dent.  19 :  17, 18 ;  25 :  i),  which  required  careful  inves- 
tigation before  punishment,  and  gave  the  ac- 
cused a  right  always  to  be  heard  in  his  own 
defence.  Paul's  indignant  outburst  was  natu- 
ral, and  accords  with  his  impulsive  character, 
but  not  with  the  example  of  Christ  under  similar 
circumstances  (John  is :  22, 23),  and  we  lose  the  sig- 
nificance of  the  lesson  if  we  fail  to  note  the  con- 
trast between  the  course  of  the  Master,  who 
never  for  an  instant  lost  his  self-control,  and  that 
of  the  servant,  who  recovered  it,  and  apologized 
for  his  undue  heat.  "That  Paul  thus  answered 
might  go  far  to  excuse  a  like  fervid  reply  in  a 
Christian  or  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  but  must 
never  be  used  to  justify  it.  It  may  serve  for  an 
apology,  but  never  for  an  example." — {Alford.) 

4,  5.  I  had  not  perceived,  brethren, 
that  he  is  the  high-priest.  It  is  best  to  take 
Paul's  language  here  in  this,  which  is  the  most 
natural  meaning.  It  is  no  objection  to  this  inter- 
pretation that  the  high-priest  would  have  been 
distinguished  by  his  dress,  for  the  meeting  of 
the  Sanhedrim  was  a  special  one,  irregularly 
summoned  by  the  Roman  chief-captain  on  short 
notice,  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  high- 
priest  had  on  his  pontifical  robes,  or  that  the 
council  was  regularly  organized,  as  it  would 
have  been  for  the  conduct  of  a  formal  trial,  or 
that  the  command  from  Ananias  came  in  such 
form  that  he  was  recognized  by  Paul ;  the  voice 
came  from  the  throng,  the  speaker  may  not 
have  been  seen.  Nor  is  Paul's  language  in  ver. 
3  any  objection,  for  it  would  have  been  equally 
applicable  to  any  member  of  the  Sanhedrim  who 
undertook  to  prevent  a  prisoner  from  being 
heard  in  his  own  defence.  The  principal  other 
interpretations  are  (1)  /  did  not  consider  that  he 
was  high-priest  {Bengel,  Olshausen,  Neander),  thus 
interpreting  it  as  an  apology ;  but  the  Greek 
verb  (oic?«)  will  not  bear  this  meaning  ;  (2)  I  could 
not  be  sup230sed  to  know  that  one  who  conducted  him- 
self so  cruelly  and  illegally  could  be  the  high-priest 


334 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


6  But  when  Paul  perceived  that  the  one  part  were 
Sadducees,  and  the  olher  Fliarisees,  he  cried  out  in  the 
council,  Men  arid  brethren,  I  ■■  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son 
of  a  Pharisee :  of "  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the 
dead  I  am  called  in  question. 

7  And  when  he  had  so  said,  there  arose  a  dissension 
between  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees:  and  the 
multitude  was  divided. 

8  For  the  Sadducees'  say  that  there  is  no  resurrec- 
tion, neither  angel,  nor  spirit:  but  the  Pharisees  con- 
fess both. 

9  And  there  arose  a  great  crj' :  and  the  scribes  that 
were  of  the  Pharisees'  part  arose,  and  strove,  saying, 


We  find "  no  evil  in  this  man :  but  if  a  spirit '  or  an 
angel  hath  spoken  to  him,  let  us  not"  fight  against 
God. 

10  And  when  there  arose  a  great  dissension,  the 
chief  captain,  fearing  lest  Paul  should  have  been  pulled 
in  pieces  of  them,  commanded  the  soldiers  to  go  down, 
and  to  take  him  by  force  from  among  them,  and  to 
bring  him  into  the  castle. 

11  And  the  night  following,  the  Lord  stood  "  by  him, 
and  said.  Be  of  good  cheer,  Paul :  for  as  thou  hast  tes- 
tified of  me  m  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  witness 
also  at  Rome.y 

12  And  when  it  was  day,  certain  ^  of  the  Jews  band- 


r  ch.  26  :  6  ;  Phil.  3  :  5. . .  .3  chaps.  24  :  15,  21 ;   26  :  6  ;   28  :  20 t  Matt.  22  :  23  ;   Mark  12:18;   Luke  20  :  27. 

V  ch.  22  :  n,  18 w  ch.  6  :  J9....X  chaps.  18  :  9 ;  27  :  23,24:  Ps.  46  :  l,7....y  ch.  28:30,31;  Rom.  1  :  16, 


,  .u  chaps.  25  :  25  ;    26  :  31 . . . 
..z  vers.  21,  30;ch.  25:3. 


{Calvin) ;  thus  interpreting  it  as  a  bitter  irony,  a 
meaning  imputed  to,  not  drawn  from,  the  lan- 
guage ;  (3)  /  do  not  know  that  he  is  high-priest, 
thus  interpreting  it  as  denial  by  Paul  of  the  offi- 
cial character  claimed  by,  and  imputed  to,  Ana- 
nias, and  in  support  of  this  interpretation  is  the 
fact  that  there  is  some  question  whether  he  was, 
at  this  time,  regularly  in  the  office,  from  which 
he  had  been  at  one  time  deposed  (see  above).  But 
if  this  had  been  Paul's  meaning,  he  would  have 
used  the  present,  not  the  pluperfect  tense,  /  do 
not  recognize.^  not  I  did  not  know,  and  the  language 
of  the  historian  (ver.  2)  appears  to  leave  no  ques- 
tion that  Ananias  was,  in  fact,  at  this  time  high- 
priest. — It  is  written.     In  Exod.  33  :  38. 

G-8.  For  a  full  description  of  the  Pharisees 
and  the  Sadducees,  see  Matt.  3  :  7,  note.  The  for- 
mer were  the  orthodox  Jews,  the  latter  the  infi- 
dels among  the  Jews.  The  controversy  between 
them  was  a  bitter  one  and  had  existed  for  years. 
The  first  persecutors  of  the  apostolic  church 
were  the  Sadducees,  and  this  because  the  apos- 
tles taught  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  (ch.  u  ■.  1-3, 
note),  and  in  that  first  persecution  they  were  de- 
fended by  Gamaliel,  one  of  the  principal  Phari- 
saic rabbis  (ch.  5 :  34,  note).  Paul,  who  was  familiar 
not  only  with  the  history  of  these  sects,  but  also 
with  the  division  of  sentiment  which  existed 
respecting  the  early  persecutions,  avails  him- 
self of  his  knowledge  to  divide  the  court,  before 
whom  there  is  no  hope  of  a  fair  trial.  His 
statement,  Of  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead 
I  am  called  in  question,  is  the  tnith,  though  not 
the  whole  truth  ;  the  fundamental  fact  of  Chris- 
tianity being  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead  in  attestation  of  his  Messiahship 
(ch.\ps.  2 :  32, 33 ;  3 :  15 ;  4 :  lo).  With  PauPs  description 
of  himself  as  a  Pharisee  and  the  son  of  Pharisees 
(not  of  a  Pharisee  as  in  our  English  version),  comp. 
Phil.  3  :  5.  Charged  with  being  a  violator  of  the 
law,  he  asserts  his  Pharisaic  origin  and  faith. 

9,  10.  Paul's  purpose  is  accomplished ;  the 
Pharisees  take  sides  against  the  Sadducees,  and 
the  court  breaks  up  in  confusion.  The  words, 
let  us  not  fight  against  God,  are  wanting  in  the 
best  MSS.;  the  sentence  in  the  original  is  broken 
off,  as  if  by  the  violence  of  the  tumult ;  it  may 


be  rendered.  What  if  a  spirit  hath  spoken  to  him  or 
an  angel !  The  reference  is  to  his  account,  on  the 
preceding  day,  of  his  conversion  and  the  vision 
in  the  Temple.  The  diversion  in  Paul's  favor 
appears  to  have  been  more  than  transient  in  its 
effects,  for  the  Sadducees  abandoned  the  hope 
of  securing  a  legal  conviction  and  execution,  and 
resorted  to  plans  for  assassination  (vers.  12-14). 
Lest  Paul  should  have  been  pulled  in  pieces,  is  prob- 
ably to  be  taken  literally  ;  in  the  melee,  the  Phari- 
sees endeavoring  to  protect  and  the  Sadducees 
to  destroy  Paul,  there  was  danger  that  he  would 
be  literally  torn  asunder.  The  language,  go 
down,  is  exact;  the  barracks  being  in  a  tower 
from  wliich  the  soldiers  must  descend  to  the 
street  and  thence  to  the  council -room.  See  ch. 
31  :  26,  note. 

11.  Three  such  experiences  of  divine  encou- 
ragement afforded  to  the  apostle,  under  circum- 
stances of  peculiar  peril  or  anxiety,  are  recorded 
in  the  Acts ;  one  when  he  was  "  in  weakness  and 
in  fear  and  in  much  trembling  "  in  Corinth  (ch. 
13 ;  9,  10),  once  during  the  long  storm  at  sea  (ch. 
27 :  24).    Comp.  analogous  experiences  in  the  life 

of  Christ  (Mark  1  :  13  ;  Luke  22  :  43).      Paul  had  COme  tO 

Jerusalem  despite  the  counsel  of  prophets  and 
the  entreaties  of  friends  (ch.  21 : 4, 10-14) ;  no  longer 
in  the  presence  of  immediate  danger,  suffering 
the  reaction  consequent  in  a  man  of  his  tem- 
perament from  the  excitement  of  the  preced- 
ing days,  unsupported  by  sympathizing  friends, 
doubts  respecting  the  past,  and  forebodings  re- 
specting the  future,  may  well  have  combined  to 
produce  in  him  extreme  depression.  Observe 
both  the  form  and  the  significance  of  the  Lord's 
words.  Paul  has  declared  that  he  counts  his 
life  nothing,  so  that  he  may  finish  hie  course  and 
his  testimony  (ch.  20  :  24).  The  Lord  declares 
that  he  shall  finish  his  course  and  his  testi- 
mony, bearing  witness  in  Rome,  as  he  lias  al- 
ready borne  witness  in  Jerusalem.  The  Lord's 
answer  thus  indicates  the  nature  of  Paul's  de- 
pression to  which  it  was  responsive,  a  fear,  not 
for  his  life,  but  lest  his  prayers  to  visit  Rome 
(Rom.  1 :  10)  are  not  to  be  answered.  Alford  well 
notes  the  power  of  comfort  which  these  words 
of  the  Lord  possessed,  in  his  subsequent  experi- 


Ch.  XXIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


235 


ed  together,  and  bound  themselves  under  a  curse,  say- 
ing that  they  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  ^  till  they 
had  killed  Paul. 

13  And  they  were  more  than  forty  which  had  made 
this  conspiracy. 

14  And  they  came  to  the  chief'  priests  and  elders, 
and  said,  We  have  bound  ourselves  under  a  great 
curse,  that  we  will  eat  nothing  until  we  have  slain 
Paul. 

15  Now  therefore  ye,  with  the  council,  signify  to  the 
chief  captain  that  he  bring  him  down  unto  you  to-mor- 
row, as  though  ye  would  inquire  something  more  per- 
fectly concerning  him  :  and  we,  or  ever  he  come  near, 
are  ready  "=  to  kill  him. 

16  And  when  Paul's  sister's  son  heard  of  their  lying 
in  wait,  he  "^  went  and  entered  into  the  castle,  and  told 
Paul. 

17  Then 'Paul  called  one  of  the  centurions  unlo/i/in, 
and  said.  Bring  this  young  man  unto  the  chief  captain; 
for  he  hath  a  certain  thing  to  tell  him. 

18  So  he  took  him,  and  brought  Aim  to  the  chief  cap- 
tain, and  said,  Paul  the  prisoner'  called  me  unto  Aim, 


and  prayed  me  to  bring  this  young  man  unto  thee,  who 
hath  something  to  say  unto  thee. 

19  Then  the  chief  captain  took  him  by  the  hand,  and 
went  ■wzi/i  him  aside  privately,  and  asked  him.  What 
is  that  thou  hast  to  tell  me  ? 

20  And  he  said,  The  Jews  have^  agreed  to  desire 
thee  that  thou  wouldest  bring  down  Paul  to-morrow 
into  the  council,  as  though  they  would  inquire  some- 
what of  him  more  perfectly. 

21  But^do  not  thou  yield  unto  them:  for  there  lie 
in  wait  for  him  of  them  more  than  forty  men,  which 
have  bound  themselves  with  an  oath,  that  they  will 
neither  eat  nor  drink  till  they  have  killed  him  :  and 
now  are  they  ready,  looking  for  a  promise  from  thee. 

22  So  the  chief  captain  then  let  the  young  man  de- 

Eart,  and  charged  him.  See  thou  tell  no  man  that  thou 
ast  shewed  these  things  to  me. 

23  And  he  called  unto  hi^n  two  centurions,  saying, 
Make  ready  two  hundred  soldiers  to  go  to  Csesarea, 
and  horsemen  threescore  and  ten,  and  spearmen  two 
hundred,  at  the  third  hour  of  the  night; 

24  And  provide  tliem  beasts,  that  they  may  set  Paul 
on,  and  bnng  him  safe  unto  Felix  the  governor. 


.d  2  Sam.  17  :  17. . .  .e  Prov.  22  :  3 ;   Matt.  10  :  16. . .  .f  ch.  28  :  17  ;   Ephea.  3:1; 
L  9. . .  .g  verse  li. . .  .h  Exod.  23 :  2. 


ences,  "  (1)  in  the  uncertainty  of  his  life  from  the 
Jews  ;  (3)  in  the  uncertaiiity  of  his  liberation  from 
prison  at  Ccesarea ;  (3)  in  the  uncertainty  of  his 
surviving  the  storm  in  the  Mediterranean ;  (4)  in 
the  uncertainty  of  his  fate  on  arriving  at  Rome. 
So  may  one  crumb  of  divine  grace  and  help  be 
multiplied  to  feed  five  thousand  wants  and  anx- 
ieties." 

12-15.  Such  oaths  by  which  men  bound 
themselves  to  the  performance  of  some  act, were 
not  uncommon  among  the  Jews.  See  1  Sam. 
14  :  24.  Josephus  narrates  a  similar  conspiracy 
to  assassinate  Herod  (Ant.  is :  s :  \-i).  Several  simi- 
lar conspiracies  had  been  previously  formed 
against  Paul  (chaps.  9 :  24, 29 ;  20 : 3, 19).  Analogous 
attempts  were  made  at  Jerusalem  on  the  life  of 
Christ  (John? :  19;  8:40;  10 :  39).  That  morc  than 
forty  persons  should  unite  in  such  a  conspiracy 
and  should,  without  scruple,  propose  it  to  the 
supreme  court  of  the  land,  seems  to  a  modern 
almost  incredible,  but  accords  with  the  Jewish 
opinions  and  practices  of  that  age.  Thus  Philo, 
who  is  one  of  the  purest  religious  teachers  out- 
side the  N.  T.,  directly  justifies  the  assassina- 
tion of  apostates  from  Judaism.  "It  is  highly 
proper  that  all  who  have  a  zeal  for  virtue  should 
have  a  right  to  punish  with  their  own  hands, 
without  delay,  those  who  are  guilty  of  this 
crime  ;  not  carrying  them  before  a  court  of  judi- 
cature, or  the  council,  or,  in  short,  before  any 
magistrate,  but  they  should  indulge  the  abhor- 
rence of  evU,  the  love  of  God,  which  they  enter- 
tain, by  inflicting  immediate  punishment  on  such 
impious  apostates,  regarding  themselves  for  the 
time  as  all  things,  senators,  judges,  prsetors, 
sergeants,  accusers,  witnesses,  the  laws,  the  peo- 
ple ;  so  that,  hindered  by  nothing,  they  m:iy 
without  fear,  and  with  all  promptitude,  espouse 
the  cause  of  piety." — (Philo.)  From  such  an 
oath  as  that  here  taken,  not  to  eat,  etc.,  it  was 


easy  to  secure  absolution,  under  Kabbinical 
regulations, 

16-19.  Nothing  is  known  of  Paul's  sister, 
nor  of  her  son,  beyond  the  information  here 
given ;  neither  are  elsewhere  referred  to  in  the 
N.  T.  Alford  surmises  that  the  son  may  have 
been  at  school  in  Jerusalem,  as  Paul  had  been, 
and  thus  heard  the  proposed  assassination  or 
Paul  discussed.  It  is  evident  that  Paul  had  the 
liberty  of  the  prison,  as  subsequently  at  Cajsarea 
(ch.  24 :  23),  and  as  John  the  Baptist  at  Machaerus 
(Matt.  11 : 2,  note).  He  may  have  been  bound  to  a 
soldier,  and  this  is  indicated  by  the  words,  "Paul 
the  prisoner  ^^  (diauioc),  and  still  enjoyed  some 
degree  of  privacy  and  liberty,  as  in  Rome  (ch. 
28 :  16),  The  readiness  of  the  centurion  to  com- 
ply with  Paul's  request,  and  of  the  chief-captain 
to  give  audience  to  the  young  man,  and  the  spe- 
cial heed  given  to  his  message,  in  taking  him 
aside  privately,  indicate  the  influence  which 
Paul,  though  a  prisoner,  had  already  secured  by 
his  personal  character.  Similar  indications  are 
afforded  in  the  account  of  the  shipwreck  (ch. 
27 :  30-37).  Observe  the  promptness,  vigor,  and 
wisdom  of  Paul's  course. 

20-22.  Comp.  the  account  here  given  by  the 
young  man  of  the  conspiracy  with  Luke's  ac- 
count above.  The  implication  of  the  language, 
the7'e  lie  in  ivaitfor  him,  is  that  the  ambuscade,  as 
well  as  the  conspiracy,  had  already  been  formed. 
The  chief-captain  enjoins  secrecy,  because  he 
will  avoid  all  hazard  of  an  assault ;  for  the  same 
reason  he  starts  Paul  and  his  escort  out  by  night. 

23,  24.  The  two  hundred  soldiers  are  the  com- 
mon foot-soldiers  of  the  Roman  army.  See  ch. 
10  :  7  for  illustration.  The  horsemen  are  the  ordi- 
nary Roman  cavalry.  The  sjjearmen  cannot  be 
definitely  identified.  The  Greek  word  (Jt-'/o/.a- 
fJoc)  signifying  literally,  taking  the  right,  is  not 
found  in  classic  Greek.    It  probably  describes 


236 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXIII. 


25  And  he  wrote  a  letter  after  this  manner: 

26  Claudius  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent  governor 
Felix  sendeth  greeting. 

27  This  man'  was  taken  of  the  Jews,  and  should 
have  been  killed  of  them  :  then  came  I  with  an  army, 
and  rescued  him,  having  understood  that  he  was  a 
Roman. 

28  And  J  when  I  would  have  known  the  cause  where- 
fore they  accused  him,  I  brought  him  forth  into  their 
council : 

29  Whom  I  perceived  to  be  accused  of  questions'' 
of  their  law,  but  to  have  nothing'  laid  to  his  charge 
worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds. 

30  And  when"  it  was  told  me,  how  that  the  Jews 
laid  wait  for  the  man,  I  sent  straightway  to  thee,  and 


gave"  commandment  to  his  accusers  also,  to  say  be- 
fore thee  what  they  had  against  him.      Farewell. 

31  Then  the  soldiers,  as  it  was  commanded  them, 
took  Paul,  and  brought  hijn  by  night  to  Antipatris. 

32  On  the  morrow  they  left  the  horsemen  to  go  with 
him,  and  returned  to  the  castle  : 

33  Who,  when  they  came  to  Csesarea,  and  delivered 
the  epistle"  to  the  governor,  presented  Paul  also  be- 
fore him. 

34  And  when  the  governor  had  read  the  letter^  he 
asked  of  what  province  he  was.  And  when  he  under- 
stood that  he  was  of  Cilicia  ;P 

35  I  will  hear  thee,  said  he,  when  thine  accusers'!  are 
also  come.  And  he  commanded  him  to  be  kept  in"^ 
Herod's  judgment  hall. 


i  chaps.  21  :  33;  24  :  7 j  ch.  22  :  30 k  chaps.  18  :  15j  25  :  19 1  ch.  26  :  31 m  vers.  20,  2i...  n  chaps.  24  :  8  ;  25  :  6 0  vers.  25-30 

p  ch.  21  :  39 q  chaps.  24  :  1,  etc.;  26  :  16 r  Matt.  27  :  27. 


some  light-armed  troops  furnished  with  spears 
and  javelins,  used  by  the  right  hand  alone.  The 
third  hour  of  the  night  is  nine  o'clock.  The  dis- 
tance from  Jerusalem  to  Caesarea  is  about  sixty- 
eight  miles,  and  would  have  occupied  nearly  two 
days ;  to  prevent  delay  a  relay  of  horses  is  pro- 
vided for  Paul  (beasts  not  beast).  For  a  detailed 
description  of  the  route,  see  Conybeai-e  and  How- 
son,  ch.  21.  The  size  of  the  escort,  470  in  aU, 
seems  disproportionate  to  the  danger,  but  note 
that,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  peril  from  the 
robbers  and  assassins  which  then  infested  Judea, 
Jerusalem  had  been  in  a  state  of  tumult.  The 
soldiery  had  been  already  twice  required  to  res- 
cue Paul.  The  extent  of  the  present  conspiracy 
could  only  be  surmised,  and  Lysias,  having  en- 
dangered himself  by  binding  and  threatening 
to  scourge  a  Roman  citizen,  would  naturally  be 
ready  to  afford  abundant  and  conspicuous  pro- 
tection to  him. 

25-30.  This  letter  has  evident  marks  of  being 
a  verbatim  copy  of  the  original.  It  is  probable 
that  the  original  might  have  been  shown  to  Paul, 
and  a  copy  procured  through  him,  or  it  may  have 
been  obtained  from  the  records  of  the  Roman 
procurator's  court.  The  Roman  law  required 
that  the  subordinate  officer,  in  sending  a  prisoner 
to  the  proper  magistrate  for  trial,  should  send 
with  him  a  written  statement  embodying  the 
facts  in  the  case.  The  governor,  on  receiving 
such  a  communication,  was  required  to  give  the 
prisoner  an  independent  hearing.  On  Claudius 
Lysias,  see  ch.  21  :  31,  note.  Lysias  was  prob- 
ably his  original  Greek  name,  Claudius,  a  Latin 
name,  assumed  when  he  purchased  the  rights  of 
citizenship.  On  the  character  of  Felix,  see  24  :  3, 
note.  He  was  procurator  of  Judea,  the  office 
filled  by  Pilate  at  the  time  of  Christ's  crucifixion  ; 
as  such,  he  was  directly  responsible  to  the  empe- 
ror for  the  administration  of  the  province,  which 
was  imperial,  not  senatorial.  See  ch.  13  : 7,  note. 
Comp.  the  account  in  this  letter  of  the  rescue  of 
Paul  with  the  actual  facts  (ch.  22 :  22-2S).  Claudius 
seized  Paul,  believing  him  to  be  the  Egyptian 
leader  of  the  assassins,  intended  to  examine  him 


by  scourguig,  and  abandoned  his  purpose  after 
learning,  to  his  surprise,  that  he  is  a  Roman. 
Observe  the  paralleUsm  between  Paul's  experi- 
ence and  Christ's.  Claudius,  like  Pilate,  per- 
ceives that  the  accused  has  done  nothing  guilty 
of  death  (john  19 : 4),  and  that  the  accusation 
against  him  is  one  respecting  Jewish  laws ;  and, 
as  Pilate  sought  to  rid  himself  of  responsibility 
by  sending  Jesus  to  Herod  (Luke  23: 7),  so  Clau- 
dius Lysias  is  glad  to  rid  himself  of  responsibility 
by  sending  Paul  to  the  procurator.  This  spirit 
of  iudifierence  to  Jewish  questions  is  analogous 
to  that  of  Gallio  in  Corinth  (ch.  is :  12-u;). 

31-35.  And  brought  him  by  night  to 
Antipatris.  The  precise  site  is  unknown  ;  the 
old  itinerants  indicate  the  general  locality,  viz., 
about  forty-two  miles  from  Jerusalem,  and 
twenty-six  from  Caesarea.  Two  good  military- 
roads  connected  the  two  cities,  the  remains  of 
which  are  still  distinguishable.  By  a  forced 
march  the  troops  could  have  reached  Antipatris 
in  ten  hours,  arriving  there,  therefore,  about 
seven  a.  m. — On  the  morrow.  Not  necessa- 
rily on  the  day  after  leaving  Jerusalem ;  more 
probably,  as  Alford  surmises,  the  day  after  ar- 
riving at  Antipatris,  where  they,  perhaps,  re- 
mained for  a  day's  rest. — Csesarea;  i.  e.,  of 
course,  Caesarea  Palestina,  the  military  head- 
quarters of  the  Roman  governor.  For  descrip- 
tion and  illustration,  see  ch.  8  :40. — Of  Cilicia. 
Of  which  province  Tarsus  was  the  principal  city. 
For  description,  see  ch.  15  :  23.  —  I  will  hear 
thee.  As,  in  such  a  case,  he  was  required  by 
Roman  law  to  do.  See  above. — Herod's  judg- 
ment-hall. Literally,  P)'(dorium  of  Herod  ;  the 
palace  built  by  him  at  Caesarea,  and  now  occu- 
pied as  the  residence  of  the  Roman  procurators. 
The  ancient  palace  often  had  in  connection  with 
it  rooms  for  the  incarceration  of  prisoners  of 
state. 


Ch.  24  :  1-27.    PAUI.  BEFORE  FELIX.    A  heathen 

LAWYER  ANT)  A   ChBISTIAN    PROPHET    FN    CONTRAST. — 

The  Christian  under  paise  accusation.— The  dar- 
ing OP  INNOCBNCE. — ThE  HOPE  AND  TUB  LIFE  OP  THE 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


237 


CHAPTER     XXIV. 

AND  after  five  days,  Ananias'  the  high  priest  de- 
scended with  the  elders,  and  with  a  certain  orator 
named  Tertullus,  who  informed '  tiie  governor  against 
Paul. 

2  And  when  he  was  called  forth,  Tertullus  began  to 
accuse  him,  saying,  Seeing  that  by  thee  we  enjoy 
great  quietness,  and  that  very  worthy  deeds  "  are  dune 
unto  tiiis  nation  by  thy  providence, 

3  We  accept  it  always,  and  in  all  places,  most  noble 
Felix,  with  all  thankfulness. 

4  Notwithstanding,  that  I  be  not  further  tedious  unto 
thee,  1  pray  thee  that  thou  wouldest  hear  us  of  thy 
clemency  a  few  words. 


5  For  we  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent  fellow^ 
and  a  mover  ot  sedition  among  all  the  Jews  through- 
out the  world,  and  a  ringleader  ot  the  sect  of  the  INaz- 
arenes: 

6  Who  also  hath  gone  about  to  profane  "  the  tem- 
ple: whom  we  took,  and  would  have  judged"  accord- 
ing to  our  law. 

7  But  the  chief  y  captain  Lysias  came  upon  us,  and 
with  great  violence  took  /lim  away  out  of  our  hands, 

8  Commanding  his  accusers^  to  come  unto  thee:  by 
examining  ot  wliom,  thyself  mayest  take  knowledge 
of  all  these  things,  whereof  we  accuse  him. 

9  And  the  Jews  also  assented,  saying  that  these 
things  were  so. 

10  Then  Paul,  after  that  the  governor  had  beckoned 


8  chaps. -23  :  2 ;   25:2 t  Ps.  1]  :  2 n  Ps.  12  :  2 v  chaps.  6  :  13 ;    16:20;    17:6;    21:28;    Luke  23:  2;    1  Pet.  2  :  12,  19 w  chaps, 

19  :  37;  21  :  2S x  John  18  :  31 y  cb.  21  :  33 z  ch.  23  :  30. 


Christian. — A  true   court  preacher. — A  lawpui, 

END  DOES  not  JUSTIFY  UNLAWFUL  MEANS  :  THE  APOS- 
TLE WU.L  NOT  BRIBE  A  JUDGE  TO  RENDER  EVEN  A  JUST 
JUDGMENT. 

A.  D.  58-CO.  Paul  is  tried  before  Felix ;  no 
ground  for  condemnation  is  found  in  him  ;  he  is 
reserved  for  further  trial  by  the  governor,  who 
hopes  to  receive  a  bribe  for  his  release,  and  who, 
by  retaining  him  in  custody,  seeks  to  please  the 
Jews.  The  account  of  this  trial  accords  with 
■what  we  know  concerning  proceedings  in  the 
Roman  provincial  courts.     See  notes  below. 

1.  After  five  days,  i.  e.,  the  fifth  day  from 
Paul's  departure  from  Caesarea.  —  With  the 
elders,  i.  e.,  with  a  deputation  from  the 
Sanhedrim. — And  with  a  certain  orator, 
Tertullus.  Nothing  is  known  of  him  except 
the  mention  here.  His  name  indicates  that 
he  was  a  Roman.  The  proceedings  may  have 
been  either  in  the  Greek  or  the  Latin  language. 
"  Under  the  emperors  trials  were  permitted  in 
Greek  in  Rome  itself,  as  well  in  the  senate  as  in 
the  forum ;  and  it  is  unlikely  that  greater  strict- 
ness should  have  been  observed  in  a  distant 
province." — (Lewin.)  Paid  advocates  were  em- 
ployed both  in  the  Greek  and  the  Roman  eoui'ts, 
and  in  criminal  actions  both  for  the  prosecution 
and  the  defence.  The  time  of  the  siDcaker  was 
limited  by  the  court.  Both  parties  were  usually 
allowed  to  make  two  speeches,  the  complainant 
beginning,  the  defendant  following,  the  com- 
plainant replying,  and  the  defendant  closing  the 
case.  As  a  general  rule  the  accused,  even  when 
his  case  was  conducted  by  a  paid  advocate,  was 
expected  to  address  the  court  himself,  for  the 
judges  liked  to  form  an  opinion  of  him  from  his 
voice,  look,  and  demeanor.  The  description  of 
Tertullus  here  as  an  orator  {m'lrojn)  indicates  that 
he  was  a  paid  advocate.  It  was  common  for 
young  Roman  lawyers  to  qualify  themselves  for 
practice  in  the  Roman  courts  by  provincial  prac- 
tice.— Who  informed  the  governor,  i.  e., 
who  formally  presented  the  accusation  against 
Paul. 

3-4.  Antoninus  Felix,  a  freedman  of  the  em- 


peror Claudius,  and  therefore  sometimes  called 
Claudius  Felix,  was  the  governor  of  Judea  at 
this  time.  The  circumstances  and  date  (proba- 
bly about  A.  D.  .5:i)  of  his  appointment  are  in- 
volved in  doubt,  Josephus  and  Tacitus  differing 
somewhat  in  their  accounts.  There  is  no  differ- 
ence, however,  in  their  estimate  of  his  character 
and  their  statements  respecting  his  ill-conduct. 
He  was  ferocious  in  his  cruelty,  pursuing  his 
enemies  without  regard  to  law,  and  gave  his 
lustful  passions  the  same  unbridled  license. 
Some  instances  of  his  quelling  seditions,  and 
subduing  bands  of  robbers,  are  given,  but  it  can- 
not be  that  his  administration  was  eminently 
successful  even  in  that  regard,  since,  when  he 
was  recalled,  and  gave  up  his  office  to  Festus 
(A.  D.  60)  his  province  was,  it  is  said,  "wasted 
and  harassed  by  bands  of  robbers  and  sicarii,  and 
the  old  plague  of  false  prophets."  Tertullus 
appeals  with  great  subtlety  of  flattery  to  this 
man,  whose  feelings  were  easily  wrought  upon, 
though  not  permanently  moved.  In  this  he 
complies  M'ith  a  well-recognized  precept  among 
the  ancient  rhetoricians,  which  counselled  the 
advocate  always  to  begin  his  plea  by  praising  the 
judge. 

5-9.  The  accusation  against  Paul  is  three- 
fold ;  he  is  charged  (1)  with  causing  factious 
disturbances  among  the  •  Jews  throughout  the 
whole  Roman  empire,  an  offence  distinctively 
recognized  and  punished  with  death  by  the  Ro- 
man law  ;  (3)  with  being  a  ringleader  of  the  he- 
retical sect  of  Nazarenes,  a  name  applied  to  the 
Christians  by  the  Jews  in  derision,  but  occurring 
in  the  N.  T.  only  here  ;  this  was  charged,  not  as 
against  Roman  law,  but  as  against  the  law  of 
Moses ;  (3)  with  an  attempt  to  profane  the  Tem- 
ple at  Jerusalem,  an  offence  against  both  Roman 
and  Jewish  law,  since  the  former  protected  the 
Jews  in  the  exercise  of  their  worship.  The  ob- 
ject of  Tertullus,  however,  appears  to  be,  not 
the  condemnation  and  punishment  of  Paul  by 
Felix,  but  his  surrender  to  the  Jewish  authori- 
ties for  trial.  He  therefore  proceeds  to  misstate 
the  facts  respecting  Paul's  rescue.    Paul  was 


238 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXIV. 


unto  him  to  speak,  answered,  Forasmuch  as  I  know 
that  thou  hast  been  of  many  years  a  judge  unto  this 
nation,  I  do  tlie  more  cheerfully  answer^  lor  myself: 

11  Because  that  thou  mayest  understand  tliat  there 
are  yet  but  twelve  days  since  I  went  up  to  >>  Jerusalem 
for  to  worship. 

12  And  they  neither  "=  found  me  in  the  temple  disput- 
ing with  any  man,  neither  raising  up  the  people,  nei- 
ther in  the  synagogues,  nor  in  the  city : 

13  Neither  can  they  prove''  the  things  whereof  they 
now  accuse  me. 


14  But  this  I  confess  unto  thee,  that  after  the  way 
which  they  call  heresy,  so'  worship  I  the  God  of  my 
fathers,  believing  all  things  which  ares  written  in  the 
law  and  ^  in  the  prophets  ; 

15  And  have  hope'  toward  God,  which  they  them- 
selves also  allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection'  of 
the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

16  And  herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to  have""  always 
a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God,  and  toward 
men. 


15 b  ch.  21  :  15 c  chaps.  26  :  8  ;  28  :  17 d  1  Pet.  3  :  16 e  Micah  4:5 f  2  Tim.  1  :  3 %  chnps.  26  :  2; 

ch.  13:15;  Matt.  22  :  40  ;    Luke  16:  16;  John  1  :  45  ;   Rom.  3  :  21 i  chaps.  23  :  6,  etc.  j   26:6,7;   28  :  20,  etc. 


jMl'm's':'  28,  29  ;  1  Cor.  15:  12-27  ;  Rev.  20  :  6,  vi. . .  .k  ch.  23  :  1. 


28  :  23  ;  Luke 
.j  Dan.  12  :  2  j 


assailed  by  a  mob,  and  would  have  been  slain 
without  trial  but  for  the  intervention  of  Lj'sias  ; 
Tertullus  represents  him  as  arrested  legally,  and 
taken  from  the  hands  of  the  Jewish  authorities 
by  the  despotic  act  of  tlie  chief-captain.  It 
should,  however,  be  added,  that  the  whole  of 
ver.  7  and  part  of  ver.  8  are  of  doubtful  author- 
ity ;  they  are  omitted  by  Tischendorf,  Griesbach, 
and  Bengel,  and  doubted  by  Alford.  But  while 
external  evidence  is  conflicting,  internal  evidence 
is  in  favor  of  their  retention.  Tertullus  refers 
to  no  witnesses ;  the  accusers  to  whom  he  refers 
in  ver.  8  are  the  deputation  from  the  Sanhedrim, 
who  have  no  direct  personal  knowledge  of  the 
matter ;  the  Asiatic  Jews  who  first  accused  Paul 
of  profaning  the  Temple  (ch.  21 :  27)  have  not  been 
brought  up  to  Csesarea,  perhaps  because  their 
testimony  would  tend  rather  for  Paul  than 
against  him.  Of  this  fatal  omission  on  the  part 
of  the  prosecution  Paul  wisely  avails  himself  in 
his  defence  (vers.  n-21). 

10-16.   Paul  in  his  defence  follows  the  course 
of  Tertullus,  and  answers  in  detail  his  charges  : 

(1)  The  charge  of  sedition  he  simply  and  emphat- 
ically denies,  and  he  demands  the  proof  (vers  11-13) ; 

(2)  he  admits  and  avoids  the  charge  of  heresy, 
i.  e.,  admits  that  he  belongs  to  the  sect  of  the 
Nazarenes,  but  declares  that  its  doctrines  ac- 
cord with  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  in 
nothing  sanction  an  immoral  life  (vers.  14-16) ;  (3) 
to  the  charge  of  profaning  the  Temple  he  replies 
with  an  account  of  the  reasons  which  led  him  to 
the  Temple,  and  with  demanding  the  production 
of  the  Asiatic  Jews  who  falsely  accused  him  in 
Jerusalem  (vers,  n-19) ;  finally  (vers.  20,  21),  with  the 
boldness  of  innocence,  he  appeals  to  the  Jews 
who  are  present  to  testify  to  the  result  of  the 
informal  trial  before  the  Sanhedrim  (ch.  23 : 1-9), 
and  in  which  the  Pharisees  declared  him  without 
evil. — Thou  hast  been  of  many  years  a 
.judge.  Felix  was  now  in  the  seventh  year  of 
his  procuratorship.  The  contrast  between  the 
exordium  of  Paul's  speech  and  that  of  Tertullus 
is  noteworthy ;  Paul,  without  using  flattery, 
wisely  expresses  a  good  ground  of  his  confi- 
dence in  Felix,  as  one  who  is  well  skilled  in 
the  manners  and  the  spirit  of  the  Jewish  nation. 
Analogous  in  its  purport  is  Christ's  response  to 


Pilate  (John  18  :  34,  note). — It  is  in  thy  power  to 

learn.  By  independent  testimony,  and,  as  a 
conclusive  evidence  that  he,  Paul,  had  not  been 
stirring  up  sedition  in  the  province  in  which  Fe- 
lix was  governor.  As  to  the  charge  of  sedition 
in  other  parts  of  the  world,  it  woull  be  charac- 
teristic of  Roman  administration  to  refer  them  to 
the  governors  of  the  disturbed  provinces  (Lute 
23 :  6, 7). — There  are  yet  but  twelve  days. 
There  is  some  disagreement  among  the  critics  in 
their  reckoning  of  these  twelve  days.  It  seems 
to  me  clear  that  the  time  from  Paul's  going  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  the  time  of  his  plea  before  Felix 
is  all  embraced  in  these  twelve  days,  and  prob- 
able, from  the  language  of  ch.  21  ;  26,  27,  that 
seven  of  these  days  elapsed  before  the  mob  and 
the  arrest  in  the  Temple.  This  would  allow  the 
rest  of  the  time  to  be  thus  accounted  for  :  eighth 
day,  appearance  before  the  Sanhedrim ;  ninth 
day,  departure  from  Jerusalem ;  three  or  four 
days  subsequent,  between  that  departure  and  the 
arrival  of  Ananias  and  Tertullus  at  Csesarea  for 
the  trial  before  Felix.  —  Neither  can  they 
prove  the  things.  A  direct  challenge  to  his 
accusers ;  and  note,  in  this  case,  an  illustration  of 
the  justice  of  the  apothegm  that  no  man  is  to  be 
condemned  without  a  hearing  ;  for  the  circum- 
stances were  adverse  to  Paul. — But.  From  a  de- 
nial of  the  false  charge  Paul  passes  to  a  statement 
of  the  truth  respecting  himself  and  his  religious 
opinions. — After  that  way  which  they  called 
heresy.  The  same  word  translated  sect  in  ver. 
5  is  here  translated  heresy.  Paul  admits  himself 
to  be  a  Nazarene. — So  worship  I  the  God  of 
my  fathers.  Conybeare  and  Howson  give  the 
argument  well.  "Our  nation  is  divided  into 
religious  parties  which  are  called  sects;  thus 
there  is  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  sect  of 
the  Sadducees,  and  so  now  we  are  called  the  sect 
of  the  Nazarenes.  I  do  not  deny  that  I  belong  to 
the  latter  sect ;  but  I  claim  for  it  the  same  tole- 
ration which  is  extended  by  the  Roman  law  to 
the  others.  I  claim  the  right  which  you  allow 
to  all  the  nations  under  your  government,  of 
worshipping  their  national  gods." — And  here- 
in, i.  e.,  in  this  hope;  his  religious  faith  led  to 
no  violation  of  the  law,  neither  that  of  Moses  nor 
that  of  Rome,  but  to  carefulness  and  conscien- 


Ch.  XXIV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


239 


17  Now  after  many  years,  I  came'  to  bring  alms  to 
my  nation,  and  offerings. 

18  Wliereupon  certain  Jews  from  Asia  found  me 
purified  in  the  temple,  neither  with  multitude,  nor 
with  tumult : 

19  Who  ought  to  have  been  here  ""  before  thee,  and 
object,  if  they  had  aught  against  me. 

20  Or  else  let  these  same  here  say,  if  they  have  found 
any  evil  doing  in  me,  while  I  stood  before  the  council, 

21  Except  it  be  for  this  one  voice,  that  I  cried  stand- 
ing among  them,  Touching  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  I  am  called  in  question  by  you  this  day. 

22  And  when  P'elix  heard  these  things,  having  more 
perfect  knowledge  of  that  way,  he  deterred  them,  and 
said.  When  Lysias^the  chief  captain  shall  come  down, 
I  will  know  the  uttermost  of  your  matter. 


23  And  he  commanded  a  centurion  to  keep  Paul, 
and  to  \eXhim  have  liberty,"  and  that  he  should  forbid 
none  of  his  acquaintance  to  minister  or  come  unto  him. 

24  And  after  certain  daj's,  when  Felix  came  with  his 
wile  Drusilla,  which  was  a  Jewess,  he  sent  for  Paul, 
and  heard  him  concerning  the  faith  in  Christ. 

25  And  as  he  reasoned  ofp  righteousness,  temper- 
ance,i  and  judgment'  to  come,  Felix  trembled,'  and 
answered.  Go'  thy  way  for  this  time  ;  when  I  have  a 
convenient  season,  I  will  call  for  thee. 

26  He  hoped  also  that  money "  should  have  been 
given  him  of  Paul,  that  he  might  loose  him:  wherefore 
he  sent  for  him  the  oftener,  and  communed  with  him. 

27  But  after  two  years,  Porcius  Festus  came  into 
Felix'  room:  and  Felix,  willing  to  shew"  the  Jews  a 
pleasure,  left  Paul  bound. 


1  chaps.  11  :  29,  30  :    20:16;    Rom.  15  :  25 m  ch.  25  :  16 n  verse  7 o  chaps.  27  :  3  ;    28  :  16. . .  .p  Prov.  16  :  12;    Jer.  22  •  15  17  •   Dan. 

4:  27;  John  16  ;  8....q  Prov.  31  :  4,  5 ;  Dan.  5:1-4;  Husea  7  :  5;  1  Pet.  4:4.... r  Ps.  50:3,4;  Dan.  12:2;  Matt.  25  :  31-46;  2  for.  5  :  10- 
Rev.  20  :  12. . .  .s  Ps.  99  :  1  ;  laa.  32  :  11  ;  Hub.  3  :  16  ;  Heb.  4:1,12...  .t  Prov.  1  :  24-3'i  :  Matt.  22  :  5  ;  i'5  :  1-10. . .  u  Eiod.  13-3  v  cli 
25  :  9  ;  Mark  16  :  15. 


tiousness,  both  toward  God  and  man.  Observe 
the  force  of  the  phrase,  /  exercise  myself,  unply- 
ing  trainmg  one's  self,  as  in  an  art  that  requires 
practice  for  its  perfection.  Comp.  1  Cor.  9  ;  27 ; 
1  Jolm  3  :  3.    See  also  ch.  23  : 1,  note  and  refs. 

17-19.  After  many  years.  It  was  five 
years  since  Paul's  previous  visit  to  Jerusalem. 
— Alms  to  my  nation,  and  offerings.  Two 
objects  of  this  visit  are  specified ;  one,  charity  to 
the  poor ;  the  other,  offerings  to  God  in  the  Tem- 
ple service. — Whereupon  certain  Jews  from 
Asia,  etc.  Observe  the  points  implied  in  this 
and  the  next  verse.  The  accusation  came  not 
from  the  officer  of  the  Temple,  but  from  Asiatic 
Jews ;  the  apostle,  so  far  from  profaning  the 
Temple,  was  there  to  complete  a  process  of  cere- 
monial purification  ;  he  was  not  responsible  for 
the  disturbance,  since  the  tumult  was  raised  and 
the  multitude  called  together  by  others ;  and 
the  original  accusers  should  have  been  present 
to  substantiate  the  accusation,  not  leaving  it  to 
hearsay  evidence.  This  demand  was  in  accordance 
with  the  Roman  custom,  which  was,  not  to  judge 
a  prisoner,  without  allowing  him  to  meet  face  to 
face  with  his  accusers. 

20,  21.  Or  let  these  persons  themselves 
say  what  offence  they  found  in  me, 
when  I  stood  before  the  Sanhedrim;  ex- 
cept it  be  for  this  one  saying,  which  I 
cried  out,  as  I  stood  in  their  midst.  Paul 
refers  to  the  inquiry  before  the  Jewish  court,  re- 
ported in  ch.  23  : 1-9,  in  which  no  other  ground 
of  condemnation  was  found,  than  that  afforded 
by  his  emphatic  declaration  of  faith  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection  made  before  the  court. 

22,23.  Having  more  perfect  knowledge 
of  that  way,  i.  e.,  of  the  Christian  religion. 
In  this  sense,  the  phrase  this  way  or  the  way  is 
used  in  the  Acts  (ch.  9 : 2,  n ;  i9 : 9, 23).  Felix,  as 
governor,  would  have  known  something  of  it, 
but  chiefly  through  the  misstatements  of  the 
Jews,  who  habitually  represented  the  Christians 
as  seditious  in  spirit  (John  19:12;  Act»  le :  20, 21 ;  17 :  6. 


Comp.  ch.  21 :  38).  Paul's  specch  Corrected  this  mis- 
apprehension, and  Felix,  perceiving  that  no 
offence  had  been  committed  against  the  Roman 
government,  and  yet  desirous  not  to  offend  the 
Jews,  made  an  excuse  for  deferring  the  case. 
There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  he  ever  sent 
for  Lysias,  or  even  intended  to  do  so.  The  Ro- 
man procurator  was  not  bound  to  fix  any  definite 
time  for  the  trial  of  an  accused,  but  might  hold 
him  in  custody  indefinitely. — To  keep  Paul, 
and  to  let  him  have  liberty.  Three  kinds 
of  custody  were  recognized  by  Roman  law :  (1) 
Confinement  in  the  common  jail,  for  description 
of  which,  see  ch.  1(5  :  2±,  note  ;  (2)  free  custody, 
according  to  which  the  accused  party  was  com- 
mitted to  the  charge  of  a  magistrate,  who  be- 
came responsible  for  his  appearance  on  the  day 
of  trial,  this  answered  to  the  modern  bail ;  (3) 
military  custody,  according  to  which  the  accused 
was  given  into  the  charge  of  soldiers,  who  were 
responsible  for  his  safe-keeping.  He  was  then 
often  chained  to  a  soldier.  It  was  to  the  militaiy 
custody  Paul  was  here  committed,  but  the  lan- 
guage, let  him  have  liberty  {t/uy  n  uvany),  implies 
that  he  was  not  bound.  A  form  of  military  cus- 
tody, entitled  observatio,  in  which  the  soldier 
kept  watch  of  his  prisoner,  but  was  not  chained 
to  him,  was  recognized  by  the  law.  Because 
Felix  left  Paul  bound  (ver.  2i)  when  he  resigned 
the  administration  of  the  province  into  the  hands 
of  Festus,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  kept  him 
bound  during  his  own  administration. 

24-27.  With  his  wife  Drusilla.  She  was 
not  really  his  wife,  having  been  seduced  from 
her  husband  Azizus,  prince  of  Emesa,  by  Felix, 
through  the  intervention  of  the  Cyprian  sorcerer 
Simon  (ch.  8 : 9).  She  was  the  daughter  of  Herod 
Agrippa  I,  and  sister  of  Agrippa  II.  She  had 
been  at  the  age  of  six  years  betrothed  to  Anti- 
ochus  Epiphanes,  prince  of  Comagene,  but  his 
refusal  to  submit  to  circumcision  and  become  a 
Jew,  prevented  the  marriage.  While  living  thus 
in  adultery  with  Felix,  she  bore  him  a  son,  Agrip- 


240 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXV. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

NOW  when  Festus  was  come  into   the  province, 
alter  three   days  he  ascended  from   Cassarea  to 
Jerusalem. 

2  Then  the  high  priest  and  the  chief  of  the  Jews  in- 
formed him  agamst  Paul,  and  besought  him, 

3  And  desired  favour  against  him,  that  he  would 


send  for  him  to  Jerusalem,  laying"  wait  in  the  way  to 
kill  him. 

4  But  Festus  answered,  that  Paul  should  be  kept  at 
Caesarea,  and  that  he  himself  would  depart  shortly 
thither.  ' 

5  Let  them  therefore,  said  he,  which  among  you  are 
able,  go  down  with  me,  and  accuse  this  man,  If  there 
be  any  wickedness  in  him. 


w  ch.  23  :  14,  15. 


pa ;  both  mother  and  son  perished  in  the  erup- 
tion of  Vesuvius  in  the  reign  of  Titus. —  Heard 
him  concerning  the  faith  in  Christ.    So 

Ilerod  was  accustomed  to  hear  John  the  Baptist, 
while  keeping  liim  a  prisoner  (Mark  6 :  20). — As  he 
reasoned  of  righteousness,  etc.  The  apos- 
tle availed  himself  of  this  opportunity,  not  to 
plead  further  in  his  own  defence,  but  to  preach 
the  truth  of  God  to  one  unaccustomed  to  hear  it. 
Comp.  ch.  28  :  30,  31 ;  Phil.  1  :  13.  Righteousness 
is  rectitude  of  conduct  and  character  according 
to  the  law  of  God ;  temperance  is  not  abstinence 
from  strong  drink,  but  self-control  and  modera- 
tion as  to  all  the  animal  appetites  and  passions. 
Instruction  in  and  exhortation  to  both,  were 
specially  applicable  to  Felix,  of  whom  Tacitus 
says  that  '*  he  exercised  the  authority  of  a  king 
with  the  disposition  of  a  slave,  in  all  manner  of 
cruelty  and  lust." — FeJix  becoming  alarmed, 
answered.  Fear  sent  away,  not  the  sin,  but 
the  preacher. — When  I  have  an  opportun- 
ity. Not  a  convenient  time  for  repentance, 
for  there  is  no  indication  of  any  penitent  feeling 
in  Felix,  but  an  opportunity  for  further  hearing. 
— He  hoped  also  that  money  should  have 
been  given  him.  Such  bribery  was  exceed- 
ingly common  in  the  Roman  provinces.  Albi- 
nus,  who  succeeded  Festus,  encouraged  this  kind 
of  bribery  to  such  an  extent,  that  none  were  held 
in  prison  who  were  able  and  willing  to  buy  their 
way  out.  Doubtless  the  money  for  this  purpose 
could  easily  have  been  raised  among  Paul's 
friends,  but  he  would  not  employ  corrupt  meas- 
ures to  escape  even  a  palpable  injustice. — 
Wherefore  he  sent  for  him,  etc.  Not  be- 
cause of  any  interest  in  Paul's  person  or  doc- 
trine, but  from  a  hope  of  obtaining  money 
through  him  or  his  friends,  Felix  had  these  con- 
ferences with  the  apostle. — Porcius  Festus. 
See  ch.  2.5  :  1,  note.— Left  Paul  bound.  Still 
in  military  custody,  and  perhaps,  on  transferring 
him  to  Festus,  actually  in  chains. 


Chaps.  25  ;  1  to  26  :  32.  PAHL  BEFORE  FESTUS  AND 
AORIPPA.  The  Christian  put  upon  his  self- 
defence  :  HIS  DIGNITY ;  HIS  COURAGE  ;  HIS  SELF- 
restraint  ;  his  self-defence  is  a  defence  of  the 
Gospel.— The  commission  of  the  Christian  mfnis- 
TRT.— The  skeptic,  the  scorner,  the  Christian,  in 
contrast. 

A.  D.  60.    For  the  fourth  time  Paul  presents 


his  defence ;  the  first  being  before  the  mob  at 
Jerusalem  (ch.  22),  the  second  before  the  Sanhe- 
drim (ch.  23),  the  third  before  Felix  (ch.  24).  The 
contrast  between  the  conduct  of  Felix  and  Fes- 
tus agrees  with  what  we  know  of  their  respective 
characters.  The  latter  does  not  do  full  justice 
to  Paul,  but,  making  due  allowances  for  the 
times  and  the  ordinary  course  of  Roman  gover- 
nors, his  course  is  relatively  commendable, 
though  I  cannot  agree  with  Lewin  in  thinking  it 
worthy  of  all  admiration.  The  general  lesson 
of  these  chapters,  scarcely  noticed  by  the  com- 
mentators, is  the  apostolic  example  of  the  spirit 
with  which  the  Christian  should  meet  false  accu- 
sation, resisting  palpable  injustice  by  meekness 
without  weakness,  and  dignity  without  pride 
or  wrath,  and  making  even  the  wrong-doing  of 
his  enemies  and  those  of  his  Lord  an  occasion  of 
preaching  the  Gospel.  No  words  can  add  to  the 
moral  power  of  the  simple  contrast  between  Paul, 
the  Christian  prisoner,  Festus,  the  cold  and  skep- 
tical Roman,  and  Agrippa,  the  ambitious,  lust- 
ful and  scornful  man  of  the  world. 

1-5.  Now  when  Festus.  Porcius  Festus 
was  sent  by  Nero  to  succeed  Felix,  probably  in 
the  late  summer  or  autumn  of  a.  d.  60,  and  re- 
mained in  office  till  the  summer  of  a.  d.  6:J,  a  lit- 
tle less  than  two  years,  during  which  time  Judea 
was  disturbed  with  the  same  difficulties  with 
sicarii,  robbers,  and  sorcerers,  as  during  the 
administration  of  Felix.  Festus  is  represented 
as  being  more  efficient  in  their  subjection  than 
his  predecessor,  and  a  much  more  just  and  hon- 
orable man.  He  had  a  difference  with  the  Jews 
concerning  a  high  wall  which  they  had  built  to 
prevent  Agrippa  from  overlooking  the  court  of 
the  Temple  from  his  palace.  This  wall  also  pre- 
vented the  Roman  guard  appointed  to  watch  the 
Temple  during  the  festival,  from  a  view  of  it. 
The  procurator  took  sides  Avith  Agrippa  against 
the  Jews.  But  he  permitted  them  to  send  to 
Rome  for  a  decision,  and  Nero's  wife  influenced 
it  in  their  favor.  Festus  was  succeeded  by  Albi- 
nus. — Into  the  province.  This  term  is  used 
popularly  not  accurately  ;  Judea  being  a  procu- 
ratorship  attached  to  the  province  of  Syria. — 
From  Caesarea.  The  military  headquarters  of 
the  Roman  governor.— To  Jerusalem.  For 
conference  with  the  Jewish  authorities  on  taking 
possession  of  the  office.— The  high-priest. 
Ismael,  the  son  of  Phali,  the  successor  of  Ana- 


Oh.  XXV.] 


THE  ACTS. 


241 


6  And  when  he  had  tarried  among  them  more  than 
ten  days,  he  went  down  unto  Csesarea ;  and  the  next 
day  sitting  on  the  judgment  seat,  commanded  Paul  to 
be  brought. 

7  And  when  he  was  come,  the  Jews  which  came 
down  from  Jerusalem  stood  round  about,  and  laid 
many  and  grievous  complaints  against  Paul,  which" 
they  could  not  prove. 

8  While  he  answered  for  himself.  Neither  against 
the  law  of  the  Jews,  neither  against  the  temple,  nor 
yet  against  Caesar,  have  I  offended  any  thing  at  all. 

9  But  Festus,  willing  to  do  the  Jews  a  pleasure,  an- 
swered Paul,  and  said,  Wilt  thou  go  up  to  Jerusalem, 
and  there  be  judged  of  these  things  before  me  ? 


10  Then  said  Paul,  I  stand  at  Caesar's  judgmept  seat, 
where  I  ought  to  be  judged :  to  the  Jews  have  I  done 
no  wrongj  as  thou  very  well  knowest. 

11  For  if  I  be  an  offender,  or  have  committed  any 
thing  worthy  of  death,  I  refuse  not  to  die :  but  if  there 
be  none  of^  these  things  whereof  these  accuse  me, 
no  man  may  deliver  me  unto  them.  I  appeal  y  unto 
Caesar. 

12  Then  Festus,  when  he  had  conferred  with  the 
council,  answered,  Hast  thou  appealed  unto  Csesar  ? 
unto  Caesar  shalt  thou  go. 

13  And  after  certain  days,  king  Agrippa  and  Bemice 
came  unto  Caesarea,  to  salute  Festus. 

14  And  when  they  had  been  there  many  days,  Fes- 


X  ch.  24  .  6,  13 ;  Ps.  35  :  11 ;  Matt.  5  :  11,  12 y  ch.  26  :  32. 


nias.  Time  had  not  cooled  the  hatred  of  the 
Jews.  —  And  desired  favor.  It  is  little  con- 
sonant with  our  ideas  of  justice  that  condemna- 
tion should  be  asked  of  a  judge  as  a  political 
favor,  but  it  was  no  strange  thing  for  a  Roman 
governor  both  to  release  and  to  condemn  prison- 
ers, as  a  means  of  ingratiating  himself  with  the 
people.  —  Laying  wait  in  the  way  to  kill 
hini<  The  implication  is  that  arrangements 
were  already  perfected  for  an  ambuscade,  per- 
haps by  those  who  had  two  years  before  prepared 
one  (ch.  23 :  12-15).  We  know  from  Josephus  that 
the  land  was  full  of  assassins  who  were  hired  by 
various  parties  to  kill  their  adversaries.  —  But 
Festus  answered,  etc.  The  reason  for  this 
answer  is  given  in  ver.  16.  See  note  there.  He 
would,  however,  have  subsequently  complied 
with  their  request  (ver.  9)  but  for  Paul's  protest 
and  appeal. — Let  them,  therefore,  said  he, 
w^hich  among  you  are  in  authority.  Not 
which  are  able  to  go,  for  the  Roman  magistrate 
would  not  make  the  trial  of  Paul  dependent 
upon  the  convenience  of  the  accusers.  He  calls 
for  those  who  are  oflScially  able  to  represent  the 
Sanhedrim. 

6-9.  More  than  ten  days.  The  best  read- 
ings have  Not  more  than  eight  or  ten  days. — Sit- 
ting on  the  judgment-seat.  The  official 
throne,  or  chair  of  state,  used  in  administering 
justice.  For  illustration  and  description,  see 
John  19  :  13,  note. — Many  and  grievous  com- 
plaints. Their  nature  is  indicated  by  the 
speech  of  Tertullus  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
and  by  the  summary  of  Paul's  defence  here. 
They  included  charges  of  violating  Jewish  law, 
profaning  the  Temple,  and  inciting  sedition 
against  Caesar, — Which  they  could  not  prove. 
The  good  fruit  of  Paul's  caution  is  noteworthy  ; 
not  even  malice  could  find  plausible  ground  for 
his   condemnation.     Paul   exempUfies  his   own 

precepts  (Rom.,cli.  13  ;  14:16.  Comp.  1  Pet.  4  :  14-16). — Wilt 

thou  go  up  to  Jerusalem  ?  The  ostensible 
reason  for  this  request  of  Festus  is  given  in  ver. 
20,  viz.,  because  he  desires  more  light  on  the  reli- 
gious questions  involved ;  the  real  reason  is  given 
here, viz.,  his  desire  to  curry  favor  with  the  Jews. 


That  this  was  not  the  real  reason  is  evident,  (1) 
from  the  language  of  the  historian  here  ;  (2)  from 
Paul's  dignified  and  emphatic  language  in  ver. 
10  ;  (.3)  from  the  confessed  perplexity  of  Festus 
when  it  becomes  necessary  to  formulate  the 
charges  against  his  prisoner,  to  be  sent  with  him 
to  Rome.  The  proposition  to  transfer  the  trial 
to  Jerusalem  was  also,  in  effect,  a  proposition  to 
transfer  the  proceedings  to  the  Jewish  Sanhe- 
drim which  had  accused  Paul.  Before  me  indi- 
cates, not  that  Festus  would  conduct  the  trial 
personally,  but  that  he  would  be  present  and 
supervise  it.  Alford  supposes  that  Festus  anti- 
cipated Paul's  refusal,  but  desired  to  make  it 
appear  to  the  Jews  that  the  obstacle  to  compli- 
ance with  their  request  came  from  Paul,  not 
from  himself.  Paul,  having  declared  himself  a 
Roman  citizen,  and  no  good  ground  of  condem- 
nation having  been  made  to  appear,  he  could  not 
be  transferred  from  the  Roman  to  the  Jewish 
tribunal,  without  his  consent. 

10-12.  But  said  Paul,  At  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Caesar  I  am  standing;  there  it  is 
right  for  me  to  be  judged.  The  Jews  in 
nothing  have  I  Avronged,  as  also  thou 
knowest  better  (than  to  prefer  this  request). 
If  indeed  I  have  wronged  (any)  and  done 
aught  Avorthy  of  death,  I  do  not  entreat 
not  to  die ;  but  if  there  is  nothing  in  these 
things  of  which  they  accuse  me,  no  one 
shall  sacrifice  me  to  them.  To  Caesar  I 
appeal.  This  translation  will  aid  in  giving  the 
spirit  of  Paul's  response.  It  was  his  right,  as  a 
Roman  citizen,  to  be  judged  before  the  Roman 
tribunal ;  he  had  not  transgressed  the  Jewish 
law;  there  was,  therefore,  no  reason  for  going 
before  a  Jewish  tribunal.  /  do  not  entreat  not  to 
die  presents  Paul  in  contrast  with  his  accusers. 
They  ask  Paul's  condemnation  as  a  favor :  he  de- 
mands acquittal  as  a  matter  of  justice.  Deliver 
m£  unto  them,  is  literally,  Grant  me  to  them  as  a 
matter  of  favor.  Paul,  as  a  Roman  citizen,  re- 
fuses to  be  used  by  Festus  for  his  own  political 
advantage.  Ccesar  is  here  Nero ;  it  was  a  general 
title  of  the  Roman  emperors,  as  Pharaoh  of  the 
Egyptian  kings.    The  courage   and   dignity  of 


242 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXV. 


tus  declared  Paul's  cause  unto  the  king,  sajring,  There 
is  a  certain  man  left  in  bonds  by  Felix: 

15  About  whom,  when^  I  was  at  Jerusalem,  the 
chief  priests  and  the  elders  of  the  Jews  informed  tne^ 
desiring  /o/zaz'^  judgment  against  him. 

i6  To  whom  I  answered.  It  is  not  the  manner  of  the 
Romans  to  deliver  any  man  to  die,  before  that  he 
which  is  accused  have  the  accusers  face  to  face,  and 
have  licence  to  answer  for  himself  concerning  the 
crime  laid  against  him. 

17  Therefore,  when  ^  they  were  come  hither,  with- 
out any  delay  on  the  morrow  I  sat  on  the  judgment 
seat,  and  commanded  the  man  to  be  brought  forth. 

18  Against  whom,  when  the  accusers  stood  up,  they 
brought  none  accusation  of  such  things  as  I  supposed  : 

19  But ''  had  certain  questions  against  him  of  their 


own  superstition,  and  of  one  Jesus,  which  was  dead, 
whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive. 

20  And  because  I  doubted  of  such  manner  of  ques- 
tions, I  aslced  hint  whether  he  would  go  to  Jerusalem, 
and  there  be  judged  of  these  matters. 

21  But  when  Paul  had  appealed  to  be  reserved  unto 
the  hearing  of  Augustus,  I  commanded  him  to  be  kept 
till  I  might  send  him  to  Caesar. 

22  Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Festus,  I  would  also 
hear  the  man  myself.  To-morrow,  said  he,  thou  shalt 
hear  him. 

23  And  on  the  morrow,  when  Agrippa  was  come, 
and  Bernice,  with  great  "^  pomp,  and  was  entered  into 
the  place  of  hearing,  with  the  cnief  captains,  and  prin- 
cipal men  of  the  city,  at  Festus'  commandment  Paul  ^ 
was  brought  forth. 


z  verses  2,  3 ....  a  verse  6 . . . .  b  ch.  18  :  15 . . . .  c  Ezek.  7  :  24 . . . .  d  ch.  9  :  15. 


Paul  in  this  response  indicate  some  secret 
ground  of  courage.  This  was  twofold,  (1)  such 
promises  of  God  in  the  O.  T.,  a  copy  of  which 
Pavil  doubtless  possessed,  as  Ps.  37  :  5-9 ;  Isa. 
41  :  10-14;  (2)  his  rights  as  a  Roman  citizen. 
Among  these  rights  was  that  of  appeal  from  the 
decision  of  a  provincial  magistrate,  under  the 
republic  to  the  people,  under  the  empire  to  the 
emperor.  No  written  appeal  was  required  ;  the 
pronunciation  of  the  single  word  appello,  I  appeal, 
suspended  all  further  proceedings.  There  were, 
however,  certain  cases  of  great  crime,  where 
there  was  no  doubt  as  to  the  facts,  in  which  the 
appeal  might  be  disallowed,  e.  g.,  in  the  case  of 
bandits  or  pirates  taken  m  the  act.  Hence,  here 
Festus  confers  ■«ith  his  council  before  allowing 
the  appeal.  This  council  consisted  of  a  certain 
number  of  citizens  selected  for  the  trial  of  ac- 
cused persons,  in  conference  with  the  proconsul. 
— And  to  Caesar  shalt  thou  go.  Thus  Festus 
unconsciously  aided  to  fulfill  the  promise  of  God 
to  Paul  in  ch.  23  :  11. 

13.  Agrippa  and  Bernice.  Herod  Agrip- 
pa n,  who  was  educated  at  the  court  of  Claudius. 
Being  only  seventeen  years  old  at  the  time  of  the 
death  of  his  father,  Agrippa  the  Great,  he  was 
not  allowed  to  succeed  to  his  kingdom,  which  in- 
cluded all  that  of  Herod  the  Great.  Instead, 
Claudius  gave  him  the  principality  of  Chalcis, 
the  presidency  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  and 
of  its  treasures,  and  the  appointment  of  the  high- 
priest,  adding  afterward  the  former  tetrarchy  of 
Philip,  with  the  title  of  king.  This  jurisdiction 
was  still  further  increased  by  Nero.  But  he 
made  himself  obnoxious  to  the  Jews  by  his  capri- 
cious changes  of  the  high-priesthood,  and  espe- 
cially offended  them  by  constructing  a  magnifi- 
cent room  in  his  palace  to  overlook  the  Temple, 
and  by  the  partiality  and  lavish  favors  which  he 
bestowed  upon  the  city  of  Berytus.  At  the  out- 
break of  the  war  with  the  Romans,  he  sided  with 
them,  after  vainly  attempting  to  dissuade  the 
people  from  rebellion.  At  the  siege  of  Gamala 
he  was  wounded,  but  was  afterward  invested 
■with  the  dignity  of  praetor  at  Rome,  whither  he 


went  with  his  sister  Bernice,  after  the  capture  of 
Jerusalem.  He  died  in  the  third  year  of  Trajan, 
at  about  seventy  years  of  age,  and  was  the  last 
prince  of  the  house  of  the  Herods.  Bernice,  his 
sister, who  had  been  the  wife  of  her  uncle  Herod, 
is  charged  with  having  lived  in  criminal  intimacy 
with  him.  To  escape  the  scandal,  she  married 
Polemon,  king  of  Cilicia,  but  she  remained  with 
him  only  a  little  time,  returning  to  Agrippa  to 
live  under  the  same  scandalous  appearances. 
About  A.  D.  65  she  was  at  Jerusalem  performing 
a  vow,  when  she  interceded  with  Gessius  Florus 
against  his  cruel  massacre  of  the  Jews,  the  sole 
redeeming  act  of  an  otherwise  utterly  infamous 
life.  She  is  reported  to  have  won  to  her  homage 
both  Vespasian  and  Titus,  the  former  by  her 
magnificent  presents,  the  latter  by  her  beauty. 

14-31.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate  whence 
the  sacred  writer  obtained  his  report  of  this  in- 
terview—  apparently  a  private  one — between 
Festus  and  Agrippa.  The  substance  of  it  may 
have  been  communicated  by  Festus  to  Paul  or 
some  of  his  friends ;  but  in  its  phraseology  it 
may  reasonably  be  regarded  as  a  dramatic  rep- 
resentation, by  the  historian,  of  the  substantial 
facts,  after  the  manner  customary  in  both  an- 
cient and  modern  history.  See  Intro.,  p.  15. 
Agrippa,  one  of  the  Herodian  family,  was  famil- 
iar with  the  Jewish  religion,  had  the  right  of  ap- 
pointment of  the  high-priest,  and  was  president 
of  the  Temple ;  it  was  therefore  natural  for  Fes- 
tus to  communicate  the  facts  respecting  Paul  to 
Agrippa,  whose  life  and  character  made  him 
familiar  with  Jewish  laws  and  usages.  Chaps. 
23  :  30  ;  24  :  19 ;  25  :  5  illustrate  the  declaration 
of  ver.  16,  which  is  abundantly  sustained  by 
classical  authorities.  It  is  more  reasonable  to 
presume  that  Festus  correctly  reports  his  an- 
swer to  the  request  of  the  Jews,  the  result  of 
which  only  is  recorded  by  Luke  in  ver.  4,  than 
to  suppose  that  he  added  this  declaration  re- 
specting Roman  law  to  gain  credit  with  Agrippa. 
The  language  of  ver.  19  indicates  a  real  perplex- 
ity in  the  mind  of  the  Roman  governor,  to  whom 
the  question  whether  Jesus  was  alive  or  dead 


Ch.  XXVI.] 


THE  ACTS. 


243 


2^  And  Festus  said,  King  Agrippa,  and  all  men 
which  are  here  present  with  us,  ye  see  this  man,  about 
wliom  all^  the  multitude  of  the  Jews  have  dealt  with 
me,  b  ith  at  Jerusalem,  and  also  here,  crying  that'  he 
ought  not  to  live  any  longer. 

25  But  when  I  found  tnat  he  had  committed  noth- 
ings worthy  of  death,  and  that  he  himself  hath  ap- 
pealed ''  to  Augustus,  I  have  determined  to  send  him. 

26  Of  whom  I  have  no  certain  thing  to  write  unto 
my  lord.  Wherefore  I  have  brought  him  forth  before 
you,  and  specially  before  thee,  O  king  Agrippa,  that, 
after  exammation  had,  I  mignt  have  somewhat  to 
write. 

27  For'  it  seemeth  to  me  unreasonable,  to  send  a 
prisoner,  and  not  withal  to  signify  the  crimes  laid 
against  him. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


THEN  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Thou  art  permitted 
to  speak  for  thyself.     Then  Paul  stretched  iorth 
the  hand,  and  answered  for  himself: 

2  I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,  because  I 
shall  answer  for  myself  this  day  before  thee,  touching 
all  the  things  whereof  I  am  accused  of  the  Jews : 

3  Especially,  because  I  know  thee  to  be  expert  J  in  all 
customs  and  questions  which  are  among  the  Jews: 
wherefore  I  beseech  thee  to  hear''  me  patiently. 

4  My  manner'  of  life  from  my  youtfi,  which  was  at 
the  first  among  mine  own  nation  at  Jerusalem,  know 
all  the  Jews ; 

5  Which  knew  me  from  the  beginning,  if  they  would 
testify,  that  after  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  religion, 
I  lived  a  Pharisee." 


e  vers.  3,  7 f  ch.  22  :  22 g  chaps.  23  :  9,  29  ;   26  :  31 h  vers.  II,  12 i  Prov.  18  :  13:    John  7  :  61. 

1  2  Tim.  3  :  10 m  ch.  22  :  3  ;  Phil.  3  :  6. 


.j  Deut.  17  :  18 k  ch.  24  :•!... 


appeared  to  be  a  matter  of  no  importance. 
Comp.  the  indifference  of  Gallio,  ch.  18  :  13-17. 
Ver.  20  assigns  a  reason  for  the  proposition  of 
Festus  to  transfer  the  case  to  Jerusalem,  which 
would  be  agreeable  to  Agrippa,  to  whose  judg- 
ment on  matters  of  Jewish  law  and  custom  Fes- 
tus deferred.  The  real  reason  is  given  in  ver.  9. 
See  note  there.  Augustus  is  not  here  the  name 
of  that  Caesar  so  known  in  history.  The  title,  an 
adjective  denoting  venerable  or  august,  is  strictly 
religious  in  its  character,  and  was  first  given  to 
Octavius,  the  first  emperor,  from  whom  it  was 
inherited  by  his  successors.  The  Caesar  now  on 
the  throne  was  the  infamous  Nero,  whose  reign 
lasted  from  a.  d.  54  to  A.  d.  68. 

22-27.  The  plea  of  Paul  before  Agrippa  is  in 
direct  fulfillment  of  our  Lord's  prophecy  in 
Matt.  10  :  18  ;  Mark  13  :  9.  He  was  summoned 
before  the  king  for  exhibition  rather  than  for 
trial,  for  the  appeal  already  allowed  took  the 
case  out  of  the  hands  of  the  procurator,  who 
could  no  longer  render  judgment  either  for  or 
against  the  prisoner  (ch.  26  -.  32).  Analogous  to  the 
course  of  Festus  here  is  that  of  Pilate  in  sending 
Christ  before  Herod  (Lute  23 : 6-12).  TJie  place  of 
hearing  was  the  auditorium,  a  hall  or  room  in  the 
palaces  of  the  Roman  emperors,  and  in  the  resi- 
dences of  the  provincial  governors,  for  the  pur- 
poses of  public  receptions,  the  trial  of  causes, 
and  other  state  business.  The  chief-captahis  are 
the  tribunes  or  chief  military  officers  (seech.  21 :  31, 
note) ;  the  principal  men  of  the  city  are  prominent 
civilians.  The  pomp  of  the  royal  auditors  is  de- 
scribed in  contrast  with  the  lowliness  of  the  pris- 
oner in  chains.  It  is  necessary  that  Festus 
should  afford  some  excuse  for  this  public  exhi- 
bition of  his  prisoner ;  hence  the  explanation  of 
vers.  26,  27.  The  perplexity  was,  however,  a 
real  one,  for  the  governor  was  required  to  send, 
in  writing,  with  the  prisoner,  a  statement  of  the 
accusation  (see  ch.  23 :  25,  note) ;  to  Send  Paul  with- 
out such  written  statement,  or  with  one  of  a 
trivial  character,  would  subject  Festus  to  criti- 
cism, if  not  to  censure.     It  should,   however, 


have  occurred  to  him  that,  if  Paul  had  been  kept 
m  prison  for  two  years,  without  even  a  definite 
accusation,  it  was  quite  time  that  he  were  set  at 
liberty. 

Ch.  26  :  1-3.  In  the  speech  which  follows 
Paul  begins  by  expressing  his  gratification  in 
being  permitted  to  speak  before  one  familiar 
with  Jewish  laws  and  life,  and  then  enters  at 
once  into  what  is  a  response  to  the  question  of 
Festus — a  statement  of  the  real  offence  which 
has  aroused  the  enmity  of  the  Jews.  He  accord- 
ingly narrates  his  early  experience  as  a  Pharisee, 
his  conversion,  his  commission  from  Christ,  and 
his  course  in  obedience  to  that  commission,  for 
which  causes  the  Jews  sought  to  slay  him.  Fes- 
tus, regarding  him  as  a  religious  enthusiast, 
breaks  in  upon  his  discourse  with  the  interrup- 
tion of  ver.  24 ;  from  Festus  the  apostle  appeals 
to  king  Agrippa  to  attest  the  truth  of  his  repre- 
sentation of  the  prophetic  teachings  ;  Agrippa 
replies  with  the  sarcastic  response  of  ver.  28, 
eliciting  from  Paul,  whose  ardor  neither  skepti- 
cism nor  sarcasm  can  quench,  the  rejoinder  of 
ver.  29,  with  which  the  audience  closes. 

Thou  art  permitted  to  speak  for  thyself. 
But  he  does  not ;  he  speaks  for  Christ,  and  for 
those  whom  he  addresses,  preaching  the  Gospel 
in  season  and  out  of  season. — Stretched  forth 
the  hand ;  that  was  chained  ;  a  significant  and 
eloquent  reminder  that  he,  against  whom  Festus 
can  find  no  definite  accusation,  is  a  prisoner. — 
Answered  for  himself.  The  Greek  word  {ano- 
h)yiinitx()\s  not  the  Same  so  rendered  in  Agrippa's 
permission.  It  simply  means  to  plead  or  answer 
before  a  tribunal. — Especially  because  thou 
art  expert  in  all  Jewish  customs,  M'hether 
established  by  law  or  usage,  and  questions, 
including  the  religious  disputes  between  the  dif- 
ferent Jewish  sects. 

4-8.  Know  all  the  Jews.  Not  to  be  taken 
literally  ;  yet  an  indication  that  Paul  was  before 
his  conversion  a  man  of  considerable  reputation, 
and  this  is  confirmed  by  the  few  known  facts  of 


344 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVI. 


6  And  now"  I  stand  and  am  judged  for  the  hope  of 
the  promise"  made  of  God  unto  our  fathers  : 

7  Unto  which  promise  our  twelve  tribes,  instantly 
serving  p  God  day  and  night,  hope  to  come.  For 
whichTiope's  sake,  king  Agrippa,  I  am  accused  of  the 
Jews. 

8  Whyi  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible  with 
you,  that  God  should  raise  tne  dead? 

9  I  f  verily  thought  with  myself,  that  T  ought  to  do 
many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 


10  Which  thing  I  also  did  in '  Jerusalem  :  and  many 
of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in  prison,  having  received 
authority'  from  the  chief  priests ;  and  when  they  were 
put  to  death,  1  gave  my  voice  against  them. 

11  And  I  punished  them  oft  in"  every  synagogue, 
and  compelled  tkejn  to  blaspheme  ;  and  being  exceed- 
ingly mad  against  them,  I  persecuted  them  even  unto 
strange  cities. 

12  Whereupon  as  I  went'  to  Damascus,  with  au- 
thority and  commission  from  the  chief  priests, 


ch 

2:1 

fi 

..0  ch.  13 

3? 

;  Gen 

3:  15; 

22 

•IS; 

49  :  10  ;  Deut.  18 

:  1.5 

2  Sam.  7 

:12; 

Pa. 

132 

11 

;  Isa. 

4 

■2; 

7 

14;  9 

B. 

1; 

J«r. 

23:5; 

,13 

14-16: 

Ezek.  .S4  : 

93 

Dim. 

9:24; 

Micah  ■ 

:  20;   Zech.  13: 

. ' ; 

.\ral.  13  :  1 

;   Ga 

.  4 

:4.. 

•P 

Luke 

2 

37 

1 

Thesa. 

3 

10 

...q 

ICor. 

15 

12 

20. 

...r  1  Tim 

1: 

13.... 

8  ch.  8 

3; 

Gal. 

1  :  13 t  ch.  9  : 

14.. 

..u  ch.  22: 

19... 

.T  ch.  9 

3. 

his  early  history. — If  they  would  testify.     To 

their  testimony  Paul  appealed  in  his  address  be- 
fore the  mob  on  the  tower  stairs  (ch.  22  :  s). — 
After  the  most  straitest  sect.  The  Phari- 
sees were  divided  into  two  classes,  the  followers 
of  Hillel  and  the  followers  of  Shammai,  the  for- 
mer liberal  and  catholic,  the  latter  rigid  and  nar- 
row in  their  spirit.  See  Matt.  3  :  7.  Paul  be- 
longed to  the  straiter  or  more  rigorous  faction, 
not  to  that  which  embraced  such  men  as  Nico- 
demus,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and  Gamaliel. 
Comp.  his  description  of  his  character  and  expe- 
rience in  PhU.  3  :  4-6. — For  the  hope  of  the 
promise  made  by  God.  This  promise  was  of 
a  Messiah,  who  should  deliver  Israel,  and  should 
prove  himself  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords. 
For  Agrippa  no  further  reference  or  description 
of  this  promise  was  necessary ;  Paul  wisely  does 
not  describe  it,  because  any  attempt  to  do  so 
would  be  liable  to  be  misunderstood  by  the  Ro- 
man procurator,  who  doubtless  knew  that  the 
Jews  expected  a  political  Messiah,  and  who 
could  not  have  been  made  to  understand  the 
spiritual  nature  of  the  kingdom  that  fulfilled 
the  hope  to  which  Paul  referred. — Unto  which 
our  twelve  tribes,  in  zealous  worship  day 
and  night,  hope  to  come.  That  is,  it  is  the 
hope  of  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy  which 
inspires  the  Jews  in  their  zeal  for  the  ceremo- 
nialism of  the  law ;  serving  (^atnivin)  indicates 
ritualistic  or  ceremonial  worship. — Why  is  it 
judged  by  you  incredible  if  God  raises 
the  dead  ?  That  is,  If  God  sees  fit  to  raise  the 
dead,  what  is  there  in  that  past  your  belief? 
The  appeal  is  to  Agrippa,  who  professed  to  be- 
lieve the  O.  T.  Scriptures  (ver.  27),  which  contain 
unquestionable  cases  of  resurrection  from  the 

dead  (1  Kings  n  :  22,  23;  2  Kings  4  :  32-35  ;  13  :  21 ). 

9-11.  I  thought  within  myself.     Or,  in 

myself.  The  language  implies  a  spirit  of  self- 
reliance,  in  contrast  with  the  prayer  which  ac- 
companied his  conversion,  "What  shall  I  do, 
Lord  ? "  (ch.  22 :  lo).  See  also  ch.  9  :  11,  which  cer- 
tainly implies  that  he  had  not  before  really 
sought  counsel  and  guidance  of  God.  This  is 
the  secret,  in  part,  of  his  sin ;  he  thought  he 
ought  to  persecute  the  Christians  because  he 
had  confidence  in  self,  not  that  spirit  of  humility 


which  makes  its  possessor  seek  direction  from 
God. — Ought  to  do  many  things  against 
the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  That  is, 
against  the  cause  which  centred  about  and  was 
represented  by  that  name.  But  observe,  he  does 
not  say  that  he  thought  he  ought  to  persecute  to 
death.  His  conscience  justified  his  opposition  to 
Christianity ;  his  pride  and  self-wUl  embittered 
him  against  its  adherents. — Received  author- 
ity from  the  chief-priests.  This  commission 
was  prior  to  that  asked  and  obtained  to  pursue 
the  converts  to  Damascus. — I  gave  my  voice 
against  them.  Literally,  least  my  pebble,  i,  e., 
my  vote.  In  voting  in  ancient  times,  small 
round  pebbles  were  used,  the  white  for  acquit- 
tal, the  black  for  condemnation.  The  language 
here  clearly  implies  that  Paul  had,  at  that  time, 
a  position  which  entitled  him  to  vote  in  the  tri- 
bunal before  which  the  Christians  were  brought 
for  trial ;  and  as  the  Jewish  law  allowed  the  in- 
fliction of  the  death- sentence  only  by  the  Sanhe- 
drim, the  conclusion  has  been  very  generally 
drawn  that  he  was  a  member  of  that  court.  In 
that  case,  according  to  Rabbinical  rules,  he  jnust 
have  been  at  least  30  years  of  age. — And  I  pun- 
ished them  oft  in  every  synagogue.  The 
synagogue  was  a  court  as  well  as  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, and  was  used  as  a  place  of  punishment  by 
scourging  (Matt,  lo  :  17). — Compelled  them  to 
blaspheme.  Literally,  To  speak  evil  of;  here 
of  the  name  of  Christ,  i.  e.,  to  recant  from  their 
faith,  and  renounce  Christ.  The  original  indi- 
cates rather  Paul's  purpose  than  his  success  ;  that 
they  actually  did  blaspheme  is  not  necessarily  im- 
plied, but  is  very  probable.  Such  apostasies 
have  occurred  in  all  times  of  persecution,  and 
did  occur  in  the  primitive  church  (2  Tim.  1 :  15 ;  4 :  10 ; 
Heb.  6 : 6). — And  being  exceeding  mad  against 
them.  This  language  effectually  disposes  of 
the  position  of  those  who  suppose  that  in  all  this 
persecution  Paul  was  acting  under  the  impulse 
of  conscience  alone,  and  in  a  devout  though  mis- 
taken service  of  God.  He  may  have  thought 
he  did  God  service  in  slaying  Christ's  disciples 
(John  16 : 2),  but  it  is  clcar  that  he  was  acting  under 
the  influence  of  pride  and  passion,  which  unfits 
the  mind  for  moral  judgment.  What  one  who 
is  "  exceeding  mad  "  thinks  he  ought  to  do  is  no 


Ch.  XXVL] 


THE  ACTS. 


245 


13  At  midday,  O  king,  I  saw  in  the  way  a  light  from 
heaven,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round 
about  me  und  them  which  journeyed  with  me. 

14  And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard 
a  voice  spealiing  unto  me,  and  saying  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  it  is 
hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks. 

15  And  I  said.  Who  art  thou.  Lord  ?  And  he  said,  I 
am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest. 

16  IJut  rise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet:  for  I  have  ap- 
peared unto  thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  min- 
ister" and  a  witness"  both  of  these  things  which  thou 
hast  seen,  and  of  those  things  in  the  which  I  will  ap- 
pear unto  thee ; 

17  Delivering  thee  from  the  people,  and  from  the 
Gentiles,  unto  y  whom  now  I  send  thee, 

18  To  open  ^  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  "  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  ^nA/rom  the  power''  of  Satan  unto  God, 


that  they  may  receive  forgiveness'  of  sins,  and  inher- 
itance'' among  them  which  are''  sanctified  by  faith' 
that  is  in  me. 

19  Whereupon,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedi- 
ent unto  the  heavenly  vision  : 

20  But  shewed  e  first  unto  them  of  Damascus,  and  at 
Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  coasts  of  Judaea, 
and  tlien  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent  and 
turn  to  God,  and  do  works  ^  meet  for  repentance. 

21  For  these  causes  the  Jews'  caught  me  in  the  tem- 
ple, and  went  about  to  kill  7ne. 

22  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of  God,  I  continue 
unto  this  day,  witnessing  both  to  small  and  great,  say- 
ing none  other  things  than  those  which  J  the  prophets 
and  Moses  did  say  should  come : 

23  That  Christ  should  suffer,  and  that  he  should  be 
the  first'' that  sliould  rise  from  the  dead,  and  should 
shew  light  unto  the  people,  and  to  the  Gentiles. 


1  Ephes.  3.7;   Co].  1  :  23,  25.... x  ch.  22;  15.... y  ch.  22  :  21 ;  Rora.  11  :  13....Z  Isa.  35  :  5 ;  42  :  7 ;  Ephes.  1  :  18....a  Luke  I  :  79  ;  John 

8  :  12;   2  Cor.  4  :  6;   1   P^t.  2  :9....b  Col.  1  :  13 c  Luke   1  :  77  ;   Ephes.  1:7;   Col.  1  :  14....d  Ephes.  1  :  11  ;   Col.  1  :  12 ;   1  Pet.  1  :  4 

e  ch.  20  :  32;   John  17  :  17;    1  Cor.  1  :  30 ;   Rev.  21  :  27 f  Ephes.  2:8;  Hcb.  11:6 g  ch.  9  :  19,  etc.... h  Matt.  3:8 i  ch.  21  :  3D 

j  Luke  24  :  27,  46. . .  .k  1  Cor.  16  :  23. 


trustworthy  guide. — Strange  cities.  Literal- 
ly, Cities  ivithout,  i.  e.,  without  the  bounds  of  Ju- 
dea.  He  was  not  content  to  drive  heresy  from 
his  own  land ;  he  determined  to  extirpate  it. 
To  understand  Paul's  conversion  it  is  necessary 
to  form  a  clear  idea  of  his  previous  state  of 
mind ;  and  this  certainly  was  not  that  of  a  hum- 
ble, devout,  but  mistaken  child  of  God.  Cou- 
pling the  account  here  with  other  references  in 
Acts  and  the  Epistles,  we  may  ascertain  its  es- 
sential character.  He  was  proud  and  self-confi- 
dent (phiL3:4),  scrupulous  concemiug  the  letter 
rather  than  the  spirit  (Phu.  3 ;  5),  angered  by  the 
determined  endurance  of  the  Christians  (ver.  11), 
full  of  and  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaugh- 
ter (ch.  9;i),  relentless,  sparing  neither  men  nor 
women  (ch.  9  -.  2),  pursuing  the  disciples  into  pri- 
vate houses,  ravaging  the  church  like  a  wild 
beast  (ch.  8 : 3,  note),  and  adding  his  own  taunts  and 
revilings  to  punishment  (1  Tim.  1 :  13,  note),  being  all 
the  time  uneasy  in  his  own  conscience,  and  by 
its  reproaches  only  goaded  to  more  bitter  anger 

(ch.  9  •  5,  note). 

12-15.  For  a  consideration  of  the  discrepan- 
cies, real  and  apparent,  between  the  three  ac- 
counts of  Saul's  conversion  here  and  in  chaps.  9 
and  23,  see  9  : 1-9,  notes.  Paul's  account  here  is 
the  fullest  of  the  three,  and  contains  several 
features  peculiar  to  it,  viz.,  the  description  of 
the  light  as  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  the  lan- 
guage of  the  heavenly  voice,  in  the  Hebrew  to?igue, 
the  revelation  of  Paul's  own  interior  struggles, 
It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  pricks.  The 
latter  occurs  in  our  English  version  in  ch.  9  :  5, 
but  was  inserted  there  by  the  copyists  from  this 
place.  On  the  meaning  of  the  metaphor  and  its 
spiritual  significance,  see  note  there. 

16-18.  I  believe,  with  Alford,  that  Paul  here 
embodies  in  one  account  the  revelation  of  the 
divine  wUl  made  to  him  by  Ananias  (ch.  9 :  15),  and 
subsequently  in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  (ch. 
22 :  18-21).  See  note  on  the  Conversion  of  Saul, 
p.  Ill,  1,  d.    These  verses,  constituting  Paul's 


commission,  indicate  also  the  commission  of  all 
Christian  ministers.  They  are  appointed  to  be 
witnesses  to  those  things  made  known  or  to  be 
made  known  to  them  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  their 
protector  is  the  Lord,  who  is  with  them  alway 
even  to  the  end  of  the  world  (Matt.  28 .  20) ;  the  re- 
sult of  their  testimony  is  the  opening  of  the  eyes 
of  the  blind,  that  they  may  be  turned  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  from  Satan  to  God ;  therein  receiv- 
ing the  remission,  i,  e.,  the  putting  away,  of 
their  sins,  and  an  inheritance  among  the  holy,  all 
of  which  is  accomplished  by  faith  in  Christ.  By 
faith  that  is  in  me  qualifies  receive ;  the  meaning 
is,  That  they  may  receive,  by  the  faith  that  is  in  me, 
forgiveness  of  sin  and  inheritance,  etc.  The  peo- 
ple are  the  people  of  Israel,  in  contrast  with  the 
GentUes. 

19-21.  I  was  not  disobedient.  It  does 
not  necessarily  follow  that  Paul  deyoted  himself 
forthwith  exclusively  to  preaching ;  and  since, 
in  his  description  of  the  regions  in  which  he 
preached,  Arabia  is  not  mentioned,  the  language 
here  tends  to  confirm  the  hypothesis  that  his 
sojourn  in  Arabia  (oai.  1 :  n)  was  rather  for  study 
and  meditation  than  for  public  ministry.  His 
preaching  in  Damascus  followed  immediately  his 
conversion  (Acts  9 :  20-22) ;  then,  after  his  visit  to 
Arabia,  followed  a  brief  ministry  in  Jerusalem 
(ch.  9 :  28) ;  but  there  is  no  distinct  account  of  any 
public  ministry  by  him  throughout  the  province 
of  Judea.  Observe  the  threefold  elements  in 
Christian  experience  :  repentance,  i.  e.,  abandon- 
ment of  sin ;  return  to  God,  i.  e.,  faith ;  and 
works  meet  for  repentance,  i  e.,  the  fruits  of 
repentance  and  faith  in  practical  godliness.  See 
Isa.  55  :  6,  7 ;  Luke  3  :  8-li ;  Ephes.  2  :  10.— For 
these  causes.  Paul  has  been  requested  by 
Felix,  impliedly,  to  give  an  account  himself  of 
the  crimes  laid  against  him.  This  he  has  done 
in  what  is,  in  fact,  a  gospel  sermon,  though  in 
form  partially  a  self-defence. 

22, 23.  I  continue  unto  this  day.  Rather, 
Uven  unto  this  day  I  have  stood;   i.  e.,  against 


246 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVL 


24  And  as  he  thus  spake  for  himself,  Festus  said  with 
a  loud  voice,  Paul,  thou  art  beside  thyself;  much 
learning  doth  make  thee  mad.' 

25  But  he  said,  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus ; 
but  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 

26  For  the  king  knoweth  of  these  things,  before 
whom  I  speak  freely  :  for  I  am  persuaded  that  none 
of  these  things  are  hidden  from  him  ;  for  this  thing  was 
not  done  in  a  corner. 

27  King  Agrippa,  believest  thou  the  prophets?  I 
know  that  thou  believest. 

28  Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Almost  thou  ■"  per- 
suadest  me  to  be  a  Christian. 


29  And  Paul  said,  I  would"  to  God,  that  not  only 
thou,  but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both  al- 
most, and  altogether  such  as  I  am,  except  these  bonds. 

30  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  the  king  rose  up, 
and  the  governor,  and  Bernice,  and  they  that  sat  with 
them : 

31  And  when  they  were  gone  aside,  they  talked  be- 
tween themselves,  saying,  This  man  doeth  nothing 
worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds. 

32  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Festus,  This  man  might 
have  been  set  at  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed  unto 
Csesar. 


1  2  Kings  9  :  n  . . . .  m  James  1  :  23,  24 n  1  Cor.  7  :  7. 


foes  without  and  fears  within  (2  Cor.  4 : 8, 9 ;  11 :  24-27), 
thus  exemplifying  his  exhortation  in  Ephes. 
6  :  13.— Both  to  small  and  great.  To  the 
few  women  without  the  walls  of  Philippi  (Acts 
16 :  u) ;  to  the  procurator  Felix  and  king  Agrip- 
pa.—Saying  none  other  things.  So  far  from 
impugning  the  law  and  the  prophets,  he  has  pro- 
claimed their  fulfillment  in  a  Messiah  suffering, 
crucified,  and  risen  from  the  dead,  and  so  bring- 
ing light,  not  only  to  the  people  of  Israel,  but 
also  to  the  Gentiles.  For  prophecies  of  which 
this  was  a  fulfillment,  see  Isa.  42  :  6 ;  49  :  9 ; 
60  :  1-3. 

24-27.  Festus,  the  cold  and  skeptical  Koman, 
could  not  comprehend  Paul's  enthusiasm  re- 
specting the  resurrection  of  "one  Jesus"  (ch. 
25: 20),  whom  the  Jews  asserted  to  be  dead,  and 
Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive ;  to  him  the  apostle 
seemed  a  religious  fanatic,  as  did  Jesus  to  Pilate. 
Paul  responds  that  his  words  are  those  of  truth 
and  soberness,  i.  e.,  rooted  in  the  truth,  and  com- 
ing from  a  sane  and  self -restrained  mind  ;  and  he 
appeals  to  king  Agrippa,  as  one  that  knows  both 
the  facts  respecting  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus, 
and  the  testimony  in  the  0.  T.  prophets  which 
those  facts  fulfilled. 

28,  29.  In  a  little  thou  persuadest  me  to 
become  a  Christian.  There  are  two  difficult 
questions  respecting  the  proper  interpretation  of 
this  verse,  (1)  The  rendition  of  the  idiom ;  (2)  the 
spirit  of  the  speaker.  Some  scholars  supply 
after  the  words  in  a  little,  the  word  time,  thus 
making  the  declaration,  In  a  little  time  thou  wilt 
persuade,  etc. ;  this  necessitates  rendering  Paul's 
reply,  Whetlier  in  a  little  time  or  in  much  time ;  a 
substitution  of  or  (1/)  for  and  (z«l),  for  which 
there  seems  to  be  no  warrant  in  the  Greek, 
though  this  substitution  is  made,  without  expla- 
nation, by  Hackett,  Alford,  and  Conybeare  and 
Howson.  Others  supply  the  word  labor  or  endea- 
vor, i.  e.,  with  a  little  endeavor,  easily,  thou  persuad- 
est ;  but  this  is  open  to  the  same  objection.  I 
would  supply,  as  Alexander,  the  word  degree, 
thus  rendering  the  passage  as  in  our  English  ver- 
sion. In  respect  to  the  spirit  of  the  speaker 
there  are  three  yiews :  The  first  regards  Agrip- 
pa as  expressing  a  serious  conviction ;  the  second 


as  expressing  a  courtly  and  complimentary  ap- 
preciation of  Paul's  eloquence,  implying  a  recog- 
nition of  the  truth  of  what  he  had  said  respect- 
ing Jesus  Christ  and  the  prophets ;  the  third  as 
ironical.  I  Incline  to  adopt  the  latter  view,  from 
the  considerations,  that  the  term  Christian  was 
one  of  ill-repute,  never,  apparently,  used  by  the 
disciples  among  themselves  (see  ch.  11 :  26,  note),  and 
that  this  interpretation  accords  better  than 
either  of  the  others  with  what  we  know  of  the 
character  of  Agrippa,  and  also  with  Paul's  an- 
swer, and  the  abrupt  conclusion  of  the  hearing. 
I  would  render,  then,  the  passage  thus.  Then 
Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  In  a  Utile  measure  thou 
persuadest  me  to  become  a  Christian;  and  Paul 
said,  I  could  wish  to  God,  that  both  in  a  measure 
and  in  full,  not  only  thou,  but  also  all  those  who  hear 
me  to-day,  were  even  such  as  I  am,  excepting  only 
these  bonds.  The  last  words  refer  to  Paul's  cap- 
tivity, but  may  have  been  enforced  by  holding  up 
to  view  the  chains  upon  his  wrists. 

30-32.  Paul's  response  brings  the  hearing  to 
an  end.  Festus  had  already  decided  that  Paul 
has  not  done  anything  worthy  of  condemnation 
under  the  Roman  law  (ch.  25 :  17-20).  Agrippa  ad- 
judges that  he  is  guilty  of  no  offence  against 
Jewish  law.  But  the  appeal  made  by  Paul  and 
accepted  by  Festus,  has  taken  the  case  out  of 
the  governor's  hands,  and  he  has  no  longer 
power  either  to  acquit  or  to  condemn. 


Ch.  27.  PAUL'S  VOYAUE  AND  SHIPWRECK.  Divtnb 
Providence  and  Christian  trust  rLLUSTRATED.  See 
note  at  end  of  chapter. 

Preliminary  Note.— A.  D.  60.  The  date  of 
the  events  in  this  chapter  is  fixed  by  ver.  9  (see  note 
there),  as  extending  from  the  early  fall  into  and 
through  the  winter,  the  mid-winter  months  (ch. 
28 :  11)  being  spent  in  the  island  of  Malta,  and 
Rome  being  reached  in  the  early  spring  of  A.  d. 
61.  For  the  correct  understanding  of  the  chap- 
ter, some  knowledge  of  ancient  ships  and  navi- 
gation is  necessary.  I  have  not  only  in  this 
note,  but  throughout  this  chapter,  borrowed 
largely  from,  and  followed  closely,  Mr.  James 
Smith's  monograph  on  the  Voyage  and  Ship- 
wreck of  St.  Paul,  which  is  the  recognized  stand- 


Ch.  XXVIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


247 


ard  work  on  the  subject,  not  only  in  England, 
but  also  upon  the  Continent.  Conybeare  and 
Howson  draw  largely  from  it ;  Lewin  furnishes 
some  suggestive  details ;  the  other  commen- 
tators add  but  very  little  information  to  these 
original  authorities.  For  an  elaborate  descrip- 
tion of  ancient  ships,  the  student  is  referred,  in 
addition,  to  William  Smithes  Diet.  ofAntiq.,  art. 
Navis. 

Of  Ancient  Navigation.  —  The  Mediterra- 
nean was  called  by  the  ancients  the  Great  Sea ;  it 
was  the  theatre  of  an  extensive  commerce,  but 
one  necessarily  rude  and  imperfect.  The  Greeks 
and  Romans  were  ignorant  of  the  use  of  the  com- 
pass ;  they  were  without  exact  chronometers ; 
the  instruments  with  which  they  took  observa- 
tions were  very  imperfect  compared  with  those 
of  modern  times ;  charts  were  almost,  if  not 
quite,  unknown  ;  it  was  therefore  generally  con- 
sidered necessary  to  remain  in  sight  of  the  coast 
or  of  some  island  by  day,  steering  by  the  stars  by 
night ;  in  winter,  navigation  generally  ceased 
altogether.     The    ancient    ship    was    compara- 


tively rude,  both  in  build  and  rig— the  stem  built 
exactly  like  the  prow ;  the  sails  generally  square, 
though  triangular  top-sails  seem  to  have  been 
known  to  the  Romans.  Merchant  ships  were  con- 
structed of  large  size,  quite  equal  to  those  of  a  large 
modern  merchant  vessel.  The  ship  of  Lucian  de- 
scribed below,  is  estimated  at  from  1,200  to  1,500 
tons.  Paul's  ship  carried  276  crew  and  passen- 
gers (ver.  37),  that  in  which  Josephus  was  wrecked, 
600.  The  prow  of  the  ancient  ship  was  generally 
ornamented  on  both  sides  with  figures ;  very 
commonly  an  eye  was  represented  on  each  side. 
Hence,  probably,  the  expression,  to  eye  or  face  the 
wind  (ver.  15,  note).  The  stern  was  like  the  prow, 
variously  adorned,  especially  with  an  image  of 
the  tutelary  deity  of  the  vessel  (ch.  as :  ii,  note). 
Banks  of  oars  were  used  in  the  naval  vessels ;  the 
great  vessel  of  Ptolemaeus  Philopator  had  4,000 
rowers  ;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  enter  here  into 
a  discussion  concerning  the  arrangement  of  these 
oarsmen,  since  they  were  not  a  feature  of  mer- 
chant vessels.  The  rudder  was  not  like  our  owa ; 
it  was  an  oar,  or  more  generally  two  oars,  with 


m 


BOAT  WITH  TACKLING,    ETC. 


broad  blades,  projecting  one  from  each  side  of 
the  stern,  and  in  larger  ships  joined  by  a  pole 
which  kept  the  rudders  parallel,  and  brought 
them  under  the  control  of  one  steersman.  Ropes 
or  rudder-bands  were  provided  by  which  these 
rudders  could  be  dra'wn  out  of  the  water  and  fas- 
tened to  the  side  of  the  vessel  when  not  in  use 
(ver.  40).  Ships  wcrc  constructed  with  one,  two 
or  three  masts,  made  usually  of  flr.  In  three- 
masted  vessels  the  largest  mast  was  nearest  the 
stem  ;  the  main-yard  was  attached  to  the  main- 
mast by  a  wooden  hoop  made  to  slide  up  and 
down  by  means  of  ropes  and  pulleys.  The  an- 
chors did  not  difEer  materially  in  form  from  those 
of  modern  times,  except  that  they  were  often 
constructed  with  one  fluke  and  sometimes  with 
none.  A  peculiarity  of  the  ship  furniture  were 
the  under-girders  used  for  frapping  or  under- 
girding  the  ship  in  time  of  danger  (ver.  n,  note). 
The  ancient  vessel  could  not  at  all  compete  with 
the  modern  in  sailing  against  the  wind,  but  when 
running  before  the  wind,  made  fair  progress. 


The  voyage  from  Rhegium  to  Puteoli,  182  miles, 
made  in  one  day,  24  hours  (ch.  28 :  is),  though  a 
quick,  was  not  an  unprecedented  passage.  These 
general  features  of  an  ancient  ship  will  be  made 
clearer  to  the  reader  by  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration from  an  ancient  picture,  representing  the 
casting  of  Jonah  to  the  whale.  In  the  centre  is 
the  main-mast  with  the  sail  reefed  up  to  the 
yard;  in  the  stern  are  the  two  rudders;  in  the 
prow  is  the  foresail,  miscalled  mainsail  in  ver.  40, 
A  vivid  picture  of  an  Alexandrian  corn-ship  just 
such  as  that  in  which  the  apostle  Paul  was 
wrecked  is  described  by  Lucian,  who  lived  next 
after  the  apostolic  age.  The  vessel,  the  Isis,  like 
that  in  which  Paul  sailed,  had  gone  around  by 
Syria,  and  along  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  and 
then,  encountering  adverse  winds,  had  been 
driven  into  the  Piraeus.  It  was  an  unusual  sight 
in  the  port  of  Athens,  and  soon  attracted  a 
crowd  of  idlers  from  the  city.  Lucian  intro- 
duces a  dialogue  amongst  a  party  who  had  just 
examined  the  Isis ;  and  one  of  them  is  made  to 


248 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVIL 


CHAPTER    XXVIl. 

AND  when  it  was  determined  that  we  should  sail 
into  Italy,  they  delivered  Paul"  and  certain  other 
prisoners  unto  one  named  Julius,  a  centurion  of  Au- 
gustus' band. 

2   And  entering  into  a  ship  of  Adramyttium,  we 
launched,  meaning  to  sail  by  the  coasts  of  Asia;  one 


Aristarchus,P  a   Macedonian  of  Thessalonica,  being 
with  us. 

3  And  the  next  day  we  touched  at  Sidon.  And  Ju- 
lius courteously  entreated  i  Paul,  and  gave  kim  liber- 
ty to  go  unto  his  friends  to  refresh  himself. 

4  And  when  we  had  launched  from  thence,  we  sailed 
under  Cyprus,  because  the  winds  were  contrary. 

5  And  when  we  had  sailed  over  the  sea  of  Cilicia  and 
Pamphylia,  we  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of  Lycia. 


0  ch.  25  :  12,  25  . . . .  p  ch.  19  :  29 q  chaps.  24  :  23 ;  28  :  16. 


Bay,  "  But  what  a  ship  it  was !  the  carpenter  said 
it  was  180  feet  long  and  45  wide,  and  from  the 
deck  down  to  the  pump  at  the  bottom  of  the 
hold  45i  feet,  and  for  the  rest,  what  a  mast  it 
was  !  and  what  a  yard  it  carried  !  and  with  what 
a  cable  it  was  sustained  !  and  how  gracefully  the 
Btern  was  rounded  off !  and  was  surmounted 
with  a  golden  goose,  the  sign  of  a  corn-ship. 
And  at  the  other  end  how  gallantly  the  prow 
sprang  forward,  carrying  on  either  side  the  god- 
dess after  whom  the  ship  was  named !  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  ornament,  the  painting,  and  the 
flaming  pennants,  and  above  all  the  anchors,  and 
the  capstans,  and  windlasses,  and  the  cabin  next 
to  the  stern,  all  appear  to  be  perfectly  marvel- 
lous. All  the  multitude  of  saUors  one  might 
compare  to  a  little  army,  and  it  was  said  to  suf- 
fice for  a  year's  consumption  for  all  Attica,  and 
this  unwieldy  bulk  was  all  managed  by  that  lit- 
tle, shriveled  old  gentleman,  with  a  bald  pate, 
who  sat  at  the  helm,  twisting  about  with  a  bit  of 
handle  those  two  monstrous  paddles,  one  on 
each  side,  which  serve  as  rudders." 

1,  2.  And  Avheii  it  was  determined  that 
we  should  sail.  Literally,  sail  from;  a  nauti- 
cal term  used  in  the  N.  T.  only  by  Luke.  It  is 
evident  from  the  use  of  the  first  person  through- 
out this  and  the  next  chapter,  that  Luke  accom- 
panied Paul  on  this  voyage  to  Rome.  See  Col. 
4  :  14 ;  Philem.  24. — Certain  other  prisoners. 
A  motley  crowd,  probably  such  as  no  modern 
convict-ship  could  present.  Like  his  Lord,  Paul 
was  numbered  among  the  transgressors. — Julius 
a  centurion.  A  commander  of  a  hundred,  an- 
swering to  our  captain.  See  ch.  10  : 1,  note.  He 
comes  down  to  history  as  one  who  treated  Paul 
courteously ;  was  perhaps  one  of  the  guard 
which  had  accompanied  Festus  to  Caesarea,  and 
was  now  returning  to  Rome.  It  is  possible  that  he 
is  the  Julius  Priscus  of  whom  Tacitus  writes,  who 
was  a  centurion,  and  afterward  prefect  of  the  Prae- 
torians. Observe,  in  the  influence  of  Paul,  a  pri- 
soner, obtained  in  this  journey  over  Julius,  as  pre- 
viously over  Festus  (ch.  25),  the  chief-captain  (ch. 
23),  and  the  Asiarchs  of  Ephesus  (ch.  19 :  31),  indica- 
tions of  the  apostle's  dignity  of  character  and  per- 
sonal power  over  men. — Of  Ausfustus'  band. 
Probably  a  part  of  the  great  Imperial  or  Praeto- 
rian guard,  amounting  at  this  time  to  10,000  men  ; 
possibly  identical  with  the  Italian  band  men- 


tioned in  Acts  10  :  1  (see  note  there),  somctimes 
spoken  of  as  Italian,  because  levied  in  Italy,  and 
sometimes  as  Augustan,  because  attached  to  the 
emperor.  It  is  not  indicated  that  the  band  was 
in  Caesarea,  but  only  that  Julius  belonged  to  it. 
— A  ship  of  Adramyttium.  A  seaport  in  the 
province  of  Asia,  situated  in  the  district  called 
^olis,  and  also  Mysia  (Acts  le :  7).  It  was  a  place 
of  considerable  traflBc,  for  it  lay  on  the  great  Ro- 
man road  between  Assos,  Troas,  and  the  Helles- 
pont, on  the  north  ;  and  Pergamos,,Ephesus,  and 
Miletus,  on  the  south  ;  and  was  also  the  termi- 
nus of  similar  roads  into  the  interior.  That  it 
was  the  centurion's  plan  to  take  the  vessel  to 
Adramyttium,  thence  journeying  to  Rome  by 
land,  is  indicated,  (1)  by  the  language  here,  mean- 
ing to  sail  by  the  coasts  of  Asia  ;  (2)  by  that  of  ver. 
6,  which  implies  that  the  centurion  found  unex- 
pectedly the  Alexandrian  ship ;  (3)  by  the  fact 
that  the  time  of  the  closing  of  navigation  was 
near  at  hand.  The  overland  road  which  conjec- 
ture thus  assumes  to  have  been  their  proposed 
route,  is  the  same  by  which  some  years  after  the 
martyr  Ignatius,  under  a  guard  of  ten  soldiers, 
was  conveyed  from  Antioch  to  Rome,  under  sim- 
ilar circumstances.  Tradition  says  Adramyttium 
was  a  settlement  of  the  Lydians  in  the  time  of 
Croesus.  It  afterwards  became  a  Roman  colony, 
and  became  under  the  kingdom  of  Pergamos  a 
seaport  of  consequence.  Pliny  speaks  of  it  as  at 
this  time  a  Roman  assize  town.  The  modem 
Adramytti  is  a  poor  village,  but  has  some  trade 
and  shipbuilding. — Aristarchus  *  *  *  be- 
ing with  us.  See  ch.  19 :  29,  note.  He  was  pos- 
sibly one  of  the  other  prisoners  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  verse.  See  Col.  4  :  10.  That  he  left 
Paul  at  Myra,  and  afterward  went  to  Rome, 
seems  to  me  very  improbable ;  while  it  is  not  at 
all  improbable  that  he  was  arrested  with  Paul  at 
Jerusalem,  or  was  allowed  of  his  own  choice  to 
share  the  apostle's  imprisoment  and  subsequent 
voyage. 

3-5.  The  next  day  we  touched  at  Sidon. 
Or  Zidon,  the  modem  Saida,  not  quite  twenty 
miles  north  of  Tyre,  and  often  mentioned  in  con- 
nection with  it.  It  was  within  the  tribal  territory 
of  Asher  (josh.  19  -.  28),  but  was  never  conquered  by 
the  Israelites  (Judges  1  :  31 ;  3 ;  3),  was  destroyed 
under  Artaxerxes  Ochus,  was  rebuilt,  passed 
under  the  control  of  Alexander,  keeping  its  own 


Ch.  XXVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


249 


6  And  there  the  centurion  found  a  ship  of  Alexan- 
dria sailing  into  Italy  ;  and  he  put  us  therein. 

7  And  when  we  had  sailed  slowly  many  days,  and 
scarce  were  come  over  against  Cnidus,  the  wind  not 


suffering  us,  we  sailed  under  Crete,  over  against  Sal- 
mone ; 

8  And,  hardly  passing  it,  came  unto  a  place  which  is 
called  The  fair  havens ;  nigh  wbereunto  was  the  city 
0/La.sea.. 


vassal  kings,  was  alternately  ruled  by  Egyptian 
and  Syrian  untU  conquered  by  the  Romans.  It 
was  famous  in  early  history  for  the  manufacture 
of  glass,  linen,  silversmiths'  work,  workers  in 
timber,  and  other  manufacturing  arts.    It  was 


also  a  famous  commercial  city,  and  Sidonian 
ships  were  celebrated.  It  is  described  as  having 
had  two  harbors,  one  of  which  was  large,  with  a 
narrow  entrance,  where  merchant  ships  could 
winter  in  safety.     The  harbor  was  filled  up  dur- 


ing the  wars  of  the  middle  ages,  and  it  is  now  a 
scene  of  utter  desolation.  It  is  sixty-seven  miles 
from  Coesarea ;  as  only  one  day  was  occupied  in 
the  voyage,  they  must  have  had  a  leading  wind, 
probably  a  westerly ;  and  this  is  the  prevailing 
wind  in  this  part  of  the  Mediterranean. — And 
when  we  had  launched  from  thence. 
Another  nautical  term  characteristic  of  Luke 
(lin^yw).  We  have  no  English  term  which  ex- 
actly corresponds ;  it  is  nearly  equivalent  to  our 
phrase,  get  under  way. — We  sailed  undier  Cy- 
prus. That  is,  under  the  lee,  so  as  to  be  shel- 
tered by  it ;  whether  to  the  north  or  the  south 
would  therefore  depend  on  the  direction  of  the 
wind.  The  question,  though  unimportant,  has 
been  hotly  debated.  But  the  facts  that  the  wind 
was  contrary,  which  would  not  be  true  of  a 
northerly  or  northeasterly  wind,  and  that  the 
prevailing  winds  in  this  part  of  the  Mediterranean 
in  the  summer  are  the  westward,  which  would 
be  contrary,  justify  the  opinion  embodied  in  the 
map  (p.  23)  that  the  ship  saDed  directly  for  the 


Cilician  coasts,  and  then  beat  up  against  the  wind 
along  the  coast.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  lan- 
guage of  the  next  verse.  When  we  had  sailed  on  the 
sea  of  Ciiicia  and  Pamphylia,  i.  e.,  that  part  of  the 
Mediterranean  lying  immediately  contiguous  to 
these  provinces.  For  description  of  Cyprus,  see 
ch.  11  :  19,  note.— We  came  to  Myra.  One  of 
the  most  important  cities  of  Lycia,  afterward 
its  capital,  situated  on  the  river  Andracus,  partly 
on  a  hill  and  partly  on  the  slope  of  it,  a  distance 
of  twenty  stadia  from  the  sea.  It  lay  at  the 
opening  of  a  long  and  wonderful  gorge  which 
was  the  passage  from  the  interior  of  Lycia  to  the 
sea.  Its  port,  Indriace,  was  one  of  the  many 
excellent  harbors  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
Asia  Minor,  and  was  a  common  resort  of  ships 
when  winds  were  contrary.  Myra  still  exists 
bearing  its  ancient  name,  though  called  by  the 
Turks  Demhre.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  fine 
ruins  which  are  among  the  most  beautiful  of 
Lycia. 
6-8.  Found  a  ship  of  Alexandria.    Not 


250 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVIL 


merely  an  Alexandrian  vessel,  but  one  from  that 
port ;  this  at  least  is  probably,  though  not  cer- 
tainly, the  meaning.  Egypt  was  one  of  the 
granaries  of  Rome ;  ships  of  great  size  conveyed 
the  grain  thence  to  Italy.  These  were  some- 
times as  large  as  our  largest  class  of  merchant 
ships.  The  cargo  was  wheat.  The  implication  of 
the  language  is  that  this  finding  of  a  ship  sailing  di- 
rect for  Rome  was  unexpected.  Myra  appears  far 
out  of  the  course  of  a  ship  sailing  from  Alexan- 
dria to  Italy  ;  but  with  the  westerly  winds  which 
prevailed  in  these  seas,  ships  unprovided  with  a 
compass,  and  ill  calculated  to  work  to  wind- 
ward, would  naturally  stand  to  the  north  till 
they  made  the  land  of  Asia  Minor,  and  thence 
sail  eastward  along  its  coast,  which  is  very  bold, 
and,  from  the  elevation  of  the  mountains,  visi- 
ble at  a  great  distance. — And  when  we  had 
sailed  slowly  many  days,  and  with  diffi- 
culty were  come   over   against   Cuidus. 


VIEW   OF    CRETE — MT.    IDA    IN   TUE    DISTANCE.      (From  Searing's  Virgil's  jEneid.) 


This  was  a  city  of  great  consequence,  situated  at 
the  extreme  southwest  of  the  peninsula  of  Asia 
Minor,  on  a  promontory  now  called  Cape  Crio, 
which  projects  between  the  islands  of  Cos  and 
Rhodes.  The  distance  from  Myra  is  130  miles, 
easily  accomplished  in  one  day  with  a  fair  wind. 
The  language  here  implies,  not  calms,  but  con- 
trary winds.  The  word  rendered  scarce  implies, 
not  that  they  did  not  quite  reach  Cnidus,  but 
that  it  was  reached  with  difiSculty.  It  is  the 
same  word  (no/.t.-)  rendered  hardly  in  the  next 
vetse. — The  wind  not  suffering,  i.  c,  not 
suffering  them  to  get  on  in  a  direct  course. — We 
sailed  under  Crete,  by  Salmone.  Crete,  the 
modern  Candia,  is  a  large,  bold,  and  mountain- 
ous, but  fruitful  island,  situated  in  the  JEgea,n 


basin  of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and  closing  in 
the  Greek  Archipelago  on  the  south.  It  has  a 
conspicuous  place  in  the  mythology  and  early 
history  of  Greece,  boasting  especially  of  having 
given  birth  to  Minos.  It  was  noted  in  early  his- 
tory for  its  hundred  cities.  Tacitus  has  a  story 
that  the  Jews  were  of  Cretan  origin,  which  may 
have  come  from  some  confusion  respecting  their 
early  history,  but  it  is  quite  certain  that  there 
had  long  been  an  acquaintance  between  the 
Cretans  and  Jews,  and  that  many  Jews  settled 
on  the  island  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. At  a  subsequent  period  there  appear  to 
have  been  numei'ous  churches  in  Crete,  the 
foundations  of  which  were  probably  laid  by  Cre- 
tans present  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  (ch.  2 :  ii) ; 
and  Paul,  with  Titus,  visited  the  island,  probably 
subsequent  to  his  first  imprisonment  in  Rome 
(Titus  1 : 5).  Salmone  is  a  promontory  on  the  east- 
ern extremity  of  the  island.  The  wind  was 
probably  in  a  north- 
westerly direction ; 
the  ship  beat  up 
against  the  wind 
under  the  shore  till 
it  reached  Cnidus ; 
here  the  land  sud- 
denly trends  to  the 
north,  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  JEgean 
sea ;  the  ship  there- 
fore changed  her 
course,  and  ran, 
as  a  northwesterly 
wind  would  have 
enabled  her  to  do, 
under  the  lee  of 
Crete.  Along  this 
shore  they  could 
work  up  against 
the  wind  in  a  simi- 
lar manner  till  they 
reached  Fair  Ha- 
vens, the  last  har- 
bor before  reaching  Cape  Matala,  where  the 
land  trends  suddenly  to  the  north,  so  that  be- 
yond it  an  ancient  ship  could  not  go  with  north- 
westerly winds.— And  with  difficulty  pass- 
ing it,  came  unto  a  place  called  Fair 
Havens.  A  city  of  Crete,  not  mentioned  in 
any  other  ancient  writings,  but  its  position  is  un- 
doubtedly established  as  on  the  south  of  the 
island,  four  or  five  miles  to  the  east  of  Cape  Ma- 
tala, the  most  conspicuous  headland  on  its  south- 
ern coast.  It  was  probably  the  port  of  Lasea. 
As  a  winter  harbor.  Fair  Havens  would  not  be 
so  safe  as  Phenice,  though  recent  explorations 
indicate  that  it  was  somewhat  protected,  and 
Paul's  advice  was  to  adhere  to  a  tolerable  shelter 
rather  than  run  a  great  risk  for  a  better  one. 


Ch.  XXVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


251 


9  Now  when  much  time  was  spent,  and  when  sail- 
ing was  now  dangerous,  because  the  fast  was  already 
past,  Paul  admonished  them^ 

10  And  said  unto  them,  Sirs,  I  perceive'  that  this 
voyage  will  be  with  hurt  and  much  damage,  not  only 
of  the  lading  and  ship,  but  also  of  our  lives. 

11  Nevertheless,  the  centurion' believed  the  master 
and  the  owner  of  the  ship,  more  than  those  things 
which  were  spoken  by  Paul. 

12  And  because  the  haven  was  not  commodious  to 
winter  in,  the  more  part  advised  to  depart  thence  also, 
if  by  any  means  they  might  attain  to  Phenice,  and 


there  to  winter ;  ivhich  is  an  haven  of  Crete,'  and  lieth 
toward  the  south-west  and  north-west. 

13  And  when  the  south  wind  blew  softly,  supposing 
that  they  had  obtained  their  purpose,  loosing  "  thence, 
they  sailed  close  by  Crete. 

14  But  not  long  after  there  arose  against  it  a  tem- 
pestuous' wind,  called  Euroclydon. 

15  And  when  the  ship  was  caught,  and  could  not 
bear  up  into  the  wind,  we  let  A^r- drive. 

16  And  running  under  a  certain  island  which  is 
called  Clauda,  we  had  much  work  to  come  by  the 
boat ; 


r  2  Kings  6  :  9,  10  ;  Dan.  2  :  20 ;  Amos  3  :  7  ....  s  Prov.  27  :  12 t  verse  7 u  verse  21 . . . .  v  Ps.  107  ; 


The  ruins  of  Laseawere  discovered  by  a  yachting 
party  in  1856. 

9-13.  During  the  winter  months  navigation 
was  in  so  far  dangerous  in  the  Mediterranean 
that  the  sailing  season  was  considered  closed 
from  November  to  March.  The  fast  here  men- 
tioned is  the  fast  of  expiation  (Lev.  16  ;  29,  etc. ;  23  :  26, 

etc.),  which  came  on  the  10th  of  Tisri,  answering 
to  our  October — about  the  time  of  the  autumnal 
equinox.  The  question  presented  for  their  con- 
sideration was  whether  they  should  winter  at 
Fair  Havens,  an  imperfectly  protected  winter 
harbor,  or  endeavor  to  proceed  to  Phenice,  which 
was  much  safer.  The  centurion  naturally  ac- 
cepted the  counsels  of  the  ship's  master,  rather 
than  those  of  his  prisoner.  In  this  he  acted  not 
unwisely,  certainly  not  wrongly.  Calvin  sug- 
gests the  reason  why  Paul  was  led  to  give  this 
counsel,  viz.,  that  it  might  subsequently  serve  to 
commend  him  and  his  advice  to  the  centurion. 
Hurt  and  damage  are  rather  violence  and  damage. 
There  is  not  much  doubt  that  the  Phenice  here 
mentioned  is  the  modern  Lutro ;  it  is  the  only  good 
harbor  on  the  south  side  of  the  island  of  Crete, 
and  was  a  customary  winter  resort  of  Alexan- 
drian ships.  Considerable  difference  of  opinion 
exists,  however,  respecting  the  proper  interpreta- 
tion of  the  peculiar  phrase  in  ver.  12,  the  proper 
rendering  of  vv'hich  is,  ivhich  looks  toward  the  south- 
west and  north-west.  The  harbor  of  Lutro  lies 
open  to  the  east,  and  is  perfectly  land-locked 
from  westerly  and  north-westerly  winds,  against 
which  the  ship  desired  protection.  The  most 
natural  explanation  is  that  of  Dr.  Howson,  that 
"sailors  speak  of  everything  from  their  own 
point  of  view,  and  that  such  a  harbor  does  look, 
from  the  water  toward  the  land  which  encloses 
it,  in  the  direction  of  south-west  and  north- 
west." 

14-17.  But  not  long  after  there  came 
down  from  it  (i.  e.,  from  the  high  lands  of 
Crete)  a  tempestuous  wind — literally  a  ty- 
phonic  wind  {tvcpwny.oc),  i.  e.,  a  wind  accompa- 
nied by  those  phenomena  which  ordinarily  ac- 
company a  sudden  change  in  the  direction  of  the 
yrind,  whirling  eddies  and  currents,  violent 
blasts,  a  tossed  and  angry  appearance  of  the 
clouds,  and  a  violent  sea— called  euro-equilo. 


BOAT  WITH  ETES. 


There  is  small  doubt  that  this  is  the  correct  read- 
ing. An  eastern  wind  was  eurus,  a  northeast  wind 
equilus;  thisYfo.^ euro-equilo,  east-northeast.  This 
is  the  most  probable  interpretation  of  a  disputed 
and  doubtful  word.  Of  the  direction  of  the  wind 
there  is  no  reasonable  doubt. — And  not  being 
able  to  look  the  wind  in  the  face  {drtoip- 
9u}.i.iiw).  This  is  the  literal  meaning  of  the 
original,  the  nautical 
term  being  probably 
derived  from  the  cus- 
tom of  painting  eyes 
on  either  side  of  the 
prow  of  a  vessel,  as  in 
the  annexed  illustra- 
tion,    from     a     wall 

painting  at  Herculaneum. — We  let  her  drive. 
Unable  to  face  the  wind,  they  were  compelled  to 
scud  before  it.  The  Greek  is,  literally,  given  over 
to  (the  wind),  we  were  home  along  (by  it).  Sud- 
den changes  from  a  southerly  to  a  northerly  or 
north-easterly  wind  are  common  in  this  region, 
partly  owing  to  the  mountainous  character  of 
the  island.  The  fact  appears  in  this  case  to  be 
that  the  ship,  under  the  influence  of  a  southern 
wind,  weighed  anchor,  sailed  close  along  the 
shore  to  Cape  Matala,  doubled  the  cape,  was 
proceeding  prosperously  on  its  course  with  a  fair 
prospect  of  reaching  Phenice  (Lutro),  only  31  miles 
distant,  in  a  few  hours,  when  this  sudden  change 
drove  her  from  her  course.  At  the  time  the  ship 
was  caught  in  the  gale,  she  must  have  been  near 
a  small  group  of  islands  called  the  Paximader, 
in  the  gulf  of  Messara.  The  island  of  Clauda 
lay  about  twenty-three  miles  to  leeward,  and  is  a 
little  south  of  west  of  Cape  Matala. — We  had 
much  difficulty  to  come  by  the  boat.  The 
skiff,  which  had  been  towing  behind.  It  had 
been  left  there  at  first  because  the  weather  was 
fair  and  the  anticipated  journey  short ;  during 
the  first  fury  of  the  storm  it  could  not  be  taken 
on  board ;  the  difficulty  experienced  now  in 
raising  it  was  probably  from  its  being  nearly 
filled  with  water,  'yet,  in  case  of  shipwreck,  it 
might  have  been  of  the  utmost  importance.  In 
the  result,  this  boat,  secured  with  so  much  diflB- 
culty,  threatened  to  become  an  instrument  of 
destruction  (vera.  30, 31). — They  used  helps  un- 


253 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  xxvir. 


17  Which  wTien  they  had  taken  up,  they  used  helps, 
umlergirdin^  the  ship  ;  and  fearing  lest  they  should 
fall "  into  the  quicksands,  strake  sail,  and  so  were 
driven. 


18  And  we  being  exceedingly  tossed^  with  a  tem- 
pest, the  next  day  they  lightened  the  ship  ; 

19  And  the  third  day  we   cast  out?  with  our  own 
hands  the  tackling  of  the  ship. 


Ps.  107  :  27 y  Job  2  :  4 ;  Jonah  1  :  6. 


dergirding  the  ship.  This  was  done  by  pass- 
ing ropes  under  the  ship,  not  from  stem  to  stem, 
as,  by  a  curious  mistake,  it  has  been  represented 
by  some  authorities,  but  around  the  middle  of 
the  ship,  at  right  angles  to  its  length,  and  near 
the  mizzen-mast.  This  was  a  common  practice 
among  the  ancients,  the  object  being  to  prevent 
the  working  of  the  planks  and  timbers.    Special 


cables  for  this  pur- 
pose were  a  part  of 
the  ordinary  furni- 
ture of  an  ancient 
vessel.  The  exten- 
sive application  of 
iron  in  modern 
shipbuilding  has 
rendered  this  con- 
trivance less  com- 
mon, but  Mr. 
James  Smith  and 
Conybeare  and 
Howson  give  sev- 
eral illustrations 
from  modern 
times.  It  is  now 
called  frapping. — 
Fall  into  the 
quicksands.  The 
Syrtis  on  the  Afri- 
can coast,  directly 
to  the  southwest 
of  the  vessel  and 
in  the  direction  in 
which  they  were 
being  driven  by  the 
wind.  These  quick- 
sands were  regard- 
ed by  the  sailors  as 
peculiarly  danger- 
ous. The  object  of 
the  undergirding 
may  have  been  in 
part  to  enable  the 
vessel  to  stand  the 
shock,  for  a  long- 
er time,  if  it  was 
driven  upon  this 
dangerous  shoal. — 
Lowered  the 
gear  and  so 
were  driven. 
Not  strake  sail.  On 
the  contrary,  a 
stem  -  sail  must 
have  been  set.  Exactly  what  was  lowered  is  not 
clear  ;  probably  that  which  was  connected  with 
the  fair  weather  sails.  The  language  is  nautical 
and  accords  with  modem  nautical  phraseology. 
A  ship  similarly  situated  is  said  now  to  "send 
down"  her  top-gallant-masts,  etc.  If  this  ship 
had  strake-sail  and  scud  before  the  wind,  she 
would  have  been  driven  directly  on  the  quick- 


Ch.  XXVII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


253 


20  And  when  neither^  sun  nor  stars  in  many  days 
appeared,  and  no  small  tempest  lay  on  tts,  all  hope" 
that  we  should  be  saved  was  tlieii  taken  away. 

21  But  after  long  abstinence,  Paul  stood  forth  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  said,  Sirs,  ye  should  have  heark- 
ened'' unto  nie,  and  not  have  loosed  ■=  from  Crete,  and 
to  have  gained  this  harm  and  loss. 

22  And  now  I*"  exhort  you  to  be  of  good  cheer:  for 
there  shall  be  no  loss  oi  any  man's  life  among  you,  but 
of  the  ship. 


23  For  there  stood  by  me  this  night «  the  angel '  of 
God,  whose  8  I  am,  and  whom  "^  I  serve, 

24  Saying,  Fear  not,  Paul ;  thou  must  be  brought 
before  Caesar :  and,  lo,  God  hath  given  thee '  all  liieiu 
that  sail  with  thee. 

25  Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer;  for  I J  believe 
God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me. 

26  Howbeit,  we  must  be  cast  upon  a  certain  island.'' 

27  But  when  the  fourteenth  night  was  come,  as  we 
were  driven  up  and  down  in  Adria,  about  midnight 


z  P3.  105  ;  28 »  Ezek.  37  :  U b  verse  10.... c  verse  13 d  Job  92  :  29 ;    Ps.  112  :  7  ;   2  Cor.  4:8,  9....e  ch.  23  :  ll....f  Heb.  1  :  14... 

g  Deut.  32  :  9;  Ps.  13.5  ;4;  Isa.  44  :  .1;  Mnl.  3  :  17;  John  17  :  9,  10;  1  Cor.  6  :  20 ;  I  Pet.  2:9,  10.... h  Ps.  116  :  16;    Isa.  44  :  21  ;  Dan.  3  ;  17; 
6  ;  16  ;  John  12  :  26  ;  Rom.  1  :  9  ;  2  Tim.  1  ;  3. . .  .i  Geu.  19  :  21,  29. . .  .j  Luke  1  :  46 ;  Rom.  4  :  20,  21  j  2  Tim.  1  :  12. . .  .k  ch.  28  :  1. 


sands,  which  were  so  much  dreaded.  What  was 
undoubtedly  done  was  this :  Under  the  lee  of 
the  island  she  was  brought  round  with  her  head 
to  the  g;ile,  facing  the  north  or  a  little  east  of 
north,  so  as  to  take  the  storm  on  her  starboard 
or  right  quarter.  The  fair  weather  sails  and 
spars  were  taken  down,  a  storm  sail  was  set,  and 
she  was  then  suffered  to  drift  before  the  storm. 
In  this  position  navigators  calculate  that  she 
would  drift  in  a  direction  west  by  north,  at  the 
rate  of  thirty- six  miles  in  twenty-four  hours. 
Thirteen  days  and  a  fraction  of  drifting  in 
this  direction,  and  at  this  rate,  would  bring  her 
to  the  island  of  Malta,  and  to  that  part  of  the 
island  which  tradition  identifies  with  the  scene 
of  the  shipwreck.  In  this  respect,  therefore, 
modern  calculations  exactly  confirm  the  Scrip- 
ture narrative.  For  calculations  in  detail,  see 
Mr.  Smith's  treatise,  pp.  133-126. 

18-30.  And  we  being  exceedingly  tem- 
pest-tossed, they  made  a  casting  out.  The 
language  here  is,  as  elsewhere  throughout  this 
chapter,  nautical.  What  was  thrown  overboard 
was  a  part  of  the  cargo  (comp.  jonah  i :  5),  but  prob- 
ably not  the  wheat,  which  constituted  an  impor- 
tant part  of  it  (ver.  38).  Matthew  Henry  quaintly 
remarks,  that  "any  man  will  rather  make  ship- 
wreck of  his  goods  than  of  his  life  ;  but  many  will 
rather  make  shipwreck  of  faith  and  of  a  good 
conscience  than  of  their  goods." — We  cast  out 
with  our  own  hands  the  tackling  of  the 
ship.  Alford  supposes  the  ship's  furniture,  in- 
cluding the  beds,  cooking  utensils,  spare  rigging, 
and  other  movables.  Mr.  Smith  suggests  the 
main-yard,  an  immense  spar,  probably  as  long  as 
the  ship,  which  would  require  the  united  effort 
of  passengers  and  of  crew  to  launch  overboard  ; 
he  adds  that  the  relief  which  a  ship  would  expe- 
rience by  this  would  be  of  the  same  kind  as  in  a 
modem  ship  when  the  guns  are  thrown  over- 
board. There  is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  read- 
ing of  ver.  19  ;  Alford  reads,  with  their  own  hands 
they  cast  out ;  internal  evidence,  however,  seems 
to  me  to  confirm  the  accepted  reading,  which 
indicates  such  degree  of  danger,  that  the  passen- 
gers took  part  with  the  sailors  in  relieving  the 
ship.  The  course  of  the  sailors  thus  far  has  ex- 
actly corresponded  with  that  pursued  by  mod- 


em navigators  in  similar  circumstances,  (1)  under- 
girding  or  frapping ;  (3)  lowering  the  top  gear ; 
(3)  laying  the  ship  to ;  (4)  lightening  the  ship, 
first  of  its  cargo,  then  of  its  tackling. — At  last 
all  hope  that  we  should  be  saved  was 
taken  away.  Why?  The  situation,  without 
compass  and  without  means  of  observation,  was 
one  of  great  danger,  but  not  necessarily  one  of 
despair.  The  hopelessness  of  their  condition 
was  probably  due  to  the  ship  leaking;  they 
could  not  tell  which  way  to  make  for  the  nearest 
land  in  order  to  run  ashore  ;  and  unless  they  did 
make  the  land,  they  must  inevitably  founder  at 
sea.  This  conjecture  is  confirmed  by  the  repeat- 
ed lightenings  of  the  ship. 

21-26.  But  after  long  abstinence.  This 
abstinence  was  not  only  by  Paul,  but  by  all  on 
board  (ver.  33),  and  was  due,  not  to  a  religious  fast 
{Blunt),  nor  to  the  absence  of  any  eatables  (see  ver. 
35),  but  to  the  impossibility  of  cooking,  the  injury 
to  provisions  from  water,  and  the  general  anxi- 
ety and  distress.— Thus  would  you  have 
been  spared  this  harm  and  loss.  Either 
harm  to  their  persons  and  loss  to  their  property, 
or  violence  and  loss.  See  on  ver.  10.  Paul's  ob- 
ject in  thus  recalling  the  correctness  of  his  for- 
mer advice  is  to  induce  those  on  board  to  credit 
his  present  assertions. — The  angel  of  God. 
"  Paul  knows  not  where  he  is  himself ;  yet  God's 
angel  knows  where  to  find  him  out." — (3fatihew 
Henry.) — Whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve. 
In  time  of  danger  the  Christian's  security  is 
this,  that  he  belongs  to  God,  His  opportunity 
is  this,  that  by  his  courage  he  may  serve  God. 
Observe  the  implication  that  his  previous  con- 
duct had  made  him  known  and  respected  as  an 
avowed  servant  of  God. — God  hath  bestowed 
on  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee.  The 
language  implies  giving  as  matter  of  favor,  and 
here  m  answer  to  prayer.  Here  is  a  true  inter- 
cession of  saints.  Observe  how  one  godly  man 
saves  many  ungodly  men  (oen.  13 ;  23-33).  "  This  is 
a  singular  pledge  of  God's  love  toward  us,  that 
he  maketh  certain  drops  of  his  goodness  distil 
from  us  unto  others." — (Calvin.) — Wherefore, 
men,  be  of  good  cheer,  for  I  believe  in  God 
that  it  shall  be,  etc.  In  time  of  disaster  good 
cheer  is  in  the  proportion  of  a  living  faith  in  God. 


254 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVIL 


the  shipmen  deemed  that  they  drew  near  to  some 
country ; 

28  And  sounded,  and  found  z(  twenty  fathoms :  and 
when  they  had  gone  a  little  further,  they  sounded 
again,  and  found  ii  fifteen  fathoms. 


29  Then  fearing  lest  they  should  have  fallen  upon 
rocks,  they  cast  four  anchors  out  of  the  stern,  and 
wished '  for  the  day. 

30  And  as  the  shipmen  were  about  to  flee  out  of  the 
ship,  when  they  had  let  down  the  boat  into  the  sea, 


We  must  be  cast  upon  a  certain  island. 

This  fact  had  probably  been  disclosed  to  Paul  in 
the  vision. 

27-29.  When  the  fourteenth  night  was 
come.  From  the  time  when  the  ship  left  Fair 
Havens.  The  storm  had  therefore  lasted  a  little 
over  thirteen  days.  "A  gale  of  such  duration, 
though  not  very  frequent,  is  by  no  means  unpre- 
cedented in  that  part  of  the  Mediterranean,  espe- 
cially toward  winter." — {Conybeare  and  Howson.) 
— As  we  were  driven  about  in  Adria,  i.  e., 
the  Adriatic  Sea.  This  phrase  included  not  only 
the  Venetian  Gulf,  but  was  used  also  in  a  more 
extended  sense,  so  as  to  include    that    portion 


EOMAN  SHIPS. 


of  the  Mediterranean  south  of  Greece. — About 
midnight  the  sailors  conjectured  that 
some  land  was  nearing  them.  The  graphic 
language  of  seamen,  to  whom  the  ship  is  the 
principal  object,  while  the  land  rises  and  sinks, 
nears  and  recedes.  What  was  the  cause  of  this 
conjecture?  Certainly  not  the  smell  of  land, 
for  the  wind  blew  toward  shore ;  hardly  the 
sight  of  breakers,  for  it  was  midnight  and  rain- 
ing (ch.  28 : 2) ;  probably  the  sotmd  of  breakers.  "  If 
we  assume  that  St.  Paul's  Bay  in  Malta  is  the 
actual  scene  of  the  shipwreck,  we  can  have  no 
difficulty  in  explaining  what  these  indications 
must  have  been.  No  ship  can  enter  it  from  the 
east  without  passing  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile 


of  the  point  of  Koura ;  but,  before  reaching  it, 
the  land  is  too  low,  and  too  far  from  the  track  of 
a  ship  driven  from  the  eastward  to  be  seen  in  a 
dark  night.  When  she  does  come  within  this 
distance,  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  observing  the 
breakers ;  for,  with  northeasterly  gales,  the  sea 
breaks  upon  it  with  such  violence,  that  Admiral 
Smyth,  in  his  view  of  the  headland,  has  made 
the  breakers  its  distinctive  character." — (James 
Smith.)— And  casting  the  lead,  they  found 
twenty  fathoms  *  *  *  fifteen  fathoms. 
These  soundings  exactly  correspond  with  those 
of  St.  Paul's  Bay,  supposing  the  ship  to  have 
drifted  in  a  westerly  direction  as  indicated  on 
the  annexed  map.  The 
ancient  fathom  (00- 
■yvitt),  etymologically, 
the  space  which  one 
can  measure  by  ex- 
tending the  arms  lat- 
erally, corresponds  al- 
most exactly  to  the 
modem  one,  six  feet. 
— They  cast  four 
anchors  out  of  the 
stern.  Ordinarily,  an- 
choring, in  ancient  as 
in  modern  navigation, 
was  from  the  bOw  ;  but 
the  ancient  ships  pos- 
se s  s  e  d  hawser-holes 
aft ;  there  was,  there- 
fore, nothing  to  pre- 
vent anchoring  from 
the  stern ;  and  there 
were  two  reasons  for 
so  doing :  (1)  the  fear 
of  swinging  round  and 
falling  on  the  rocks  to  the  leeward  ;  (2)  the  pur- 
pose of  running  the  ship  ashore  as  soon  as  day- 
light enabled  them  to  select  a  spot  for  this  pur- 
pose. In  the  naval  battle  of  Copenhagen,  the 
English  ships  anchored  thus  from  the  stern,  and 
it  is  stated  by  Conybeare  and  Howson  that  Nel- 
son stated  after  the  battle  that  he  had  been  read- 
ing the  twenty-seventh  chapter  of  Acts  that  morn- 
ing.— And  wished  for  day.  The  occasion 
was  stUl  one  of  great  danger ;  for  the  shore  is 
full  of  rocky  precipices,  upon  which  the  sea 
must  have  been  breaking  with  great  violence. 
Happily,  the  anchorage  here  is  good.  It  is  thus 
described  in  the  EnglUh  Sailing  Directions,  "  The 
harbor  of  St.  Paul  is  open  to  easterly  and  north- 


Ch.  XXVIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


255 


under  colour  as  though  they  would  have  cast  anchors 
out  of  the  foreship, 

31  Paul  said  to  the  centurion  and  to  the  soldiers,  Ex- 
cept these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved. 

32  Then  the  soldiers  cut  oflF  the  ropes  of  the  boat, 
and  let  her  fall  off. 

33  And  while  the  day  was  coming  on,  Paul  besought 
them  all  to  take  meat,  saying,  This  day  is  the  four- 
teenth day  that  ye  have  tarried,  and  coniinued  fasting, 
having  taken  nothing. 


34  Wherefore  I  pray  you  to  take  some  meat;  for 
this™  is  for  your  health:  for  there"  shall  not  an  hair 
fall  from  the  head  of  any  of  you. 

35  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  took  bread,  and 
gave  thanks"  to  God  in  presence  of  them  all:  and 
when  he  had  broken  it.  he  began  to  eat. 

36  Then  were  they  all  of  good  cheer,  and  they  also 
took  so)ne  meat. 

37  And  we  were  in  all  in  the  ship,  two  hundred 
threescore  and  sixteen  souls. 


m  Ma(t.  15  :  32  ;  1  Tim.  6  :  23 n  1  Kings  1  :  6V  ; 


M»tt.  10  :  30  ;   Lnke  12:7;    21 
6  ;  11,23;  1  Tim.  4  :  3,4. 


.0  1  Sam.  9  :  13  J    Matt.  15  :  36  ;   Mark  8:6;  John 


east  winds.  It  is,  notwithstanding,  safe  for  small 
ships,  tlie  ground  generally  very  good,  and  whUe 
the  cables  hold  there  is  no  danger,  as  the  anchors 
will  never  start.'' ^ 


30-32.  Had  let  down  the  boat  into  the 
sea,  under  pretence  as  thou^i^h  they  would 
have  cast  anchors  out  of  the  fore  ship.   As 

if  to  carry  out  the  anchors  to  the  extent  of  the 
cable  which  was  loosened.  Their  design  to 
make  good  their  own  escape  in  apparently  the 
only  boat  is  penetrated  by  Paul ;  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  suppose  that  it  was  supernaturally  com- 
municated to  him. — Except  these  abide  in 
the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved.  Paul,  with 
his  usual  tact,  says  nothing  to  the  sailors,  but 
addresses  the  soldiers  and  centurion  ;  and  with- 
out words,  they  cut  the  rope,  and  the  boat 
is  instantly  borne  ofi  by  the  sea.  Humanly 
speaking,  the  presence  of  the  sailors  was  neces- 
sary to  the  safety  of  the  rest,  for  everything  de- 
pended on  their  subsequent  management  of  the 
ship.  The  language  here  is  not  inconsistent 
with  that  of  ver.  22 ;  for,  in  fact,  it  was  God's  will 
that  the  sailors  should  abide  in  the  ship,  and  they 
did  so. 

33-37.  And  until  it  began  to  be  day,  i.  e., 
in  the  interval  between  the  attempted  escape  of 
the  sailors  and  daybreak.  Paul  did  not  make  a 
speech  to  the  multitude,  which  the  howling  of 
the  tempest  would  doubtless  have  rendered  inau- 
dible, but  went  from  group  to  group  personally 
cheering  and  exhorting  them. — And  contin- 
ued fasting.  Not  an  absolute  abstinence  is 
intended  ;  they  had  eaten  so  little  that  it  is  legit- 
imately regarded  as  nothing.  See  on  ver.  21. — 
For  this  is  for  your  safety.  Because  weak- 
ened by  previous  abstinence,  they  might  other- 
wise be  unable  to  endure  the  hardship  and  perU 
which  followed.  — He  gave  thanks  to  God. 
Even  in  this  hour  of  dire  peril,  Paul  does  not 
forget  this  simple  ceremonial ;  this  instance  af- 
fords a  strong  argument  for  the  habitual  use  of 
grace  before  meat.  His  own  courage  is  impart- 
ed to  the  others,  and  commends  him  to  the  con- 
sideration and  respect  of  the  centurion. — And 
Ave  were  in  all  in  the  ship  two  hundred 
three-score  and  sixteen  souls.  "By  this  time 
the  dawn  of  day  was  approaching.  A  faint  light 
showed  more  of  the  terrors  of  the  storm,  and  the 
objects  on  board  the  ship  began  to  be  more  dis- 
tinctly visible.  Still,  toward  the  land  all  was 
darkness,  and  their  eyes  followed  the  spray  in 
vain  as  it  drifted  off  toward  the  leeward.    A 


256 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVII. 


38  And  when  they  had  eaten  enough,  they  lightened 
the  ship,  and  cast  out  the  wheat  into  the  sea. 

39  And  when  it  was  day,  they  knew  not  the  land : 
but  they  discovered  a  certain  creek  with  a  shore,  into 
the  which  they  were  minded,  if  it  were  possible,  to 
thrust  in  the  ship. 

40  And  when  they  had  taken  up  the  anchors,  they 
committed  thetnsrlves  unto  the  sea,  and  loosed  the  rud- 
der bands,  and  hoisted  up  the  mainsail  to  the  wind,  and 
made  toward  shore. 

41  And  tailing  into  a  place  where  two  seas  met,  they 
ran  the  ship  aground  ;  and  the  forepart  stuck  fast,  and 


remained  unmoveable,  but  the  hinder  part  was  broken 
with  the  violence  of  the  waves. 

42  And  the  soldiers'  counsel  p  was  to  kill  the  prison- 
ers, lest  any  of  them  should  swim  out,  and  escape. 

43  But  the  centurion,  vviUing  to  save  Paul,i  kept 
them  from  their  purpose ;  and  commanded  that  they 
which  could  swim  should  cast  themselves  first  into  the 
sea,  and  get  to  land  : 

44  And  the  rest,  some  on  boards,  and  some  on  broken 
pieces  of  the  ship.  And  so  ■■  it  came  to  pass,  that  they 
escaped  all  safe  to  land. 


p  Ps.  74  :  20  . . . .  q  2  Cor.  11  :  25  ....  r  verse  22 ;  Ps.  107  :  28-30. 


slight  effort  of  the  imagination  suffices  to  bring 
before  us  an  impressive  spectacle,  as  we  think  of 
the  dim  light  just  showing  the  haggard  faces  of 
the  276  persons  clustered  on  the  deck  and  hold- 
ing on  by  the  bulwarks  of  the  sinking  vessel." — 
{James  Smith. ) 

38,  39.  They  lightened  the  ship,  cast- 
ins  the  wheat  into  the  sea.  Not  the  ship's 
provisions  {Alford),  an  hypothesis  neither  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  original  Greek  nor  with  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  but  the  cargo.  Grain 
was  the  principal  commodity  exported  from 
Egypt  to  Italy.  The  object  of  throwing  it  out 
was  not  merely  to  lighten  the  ship,  so  that  she 
might  more  readily  approach  the  shore ;  it  is 
probable,  from  the  ship  having  been  so  long 
thrown  partially  on  one  side,  that  the  cargo  had 
shifted  ;  this  rendered  it  necessary  to  cast  out  part 
of  the  wheat  so  as  to  right  the  ship  again,  and 
enable  her  to  be  more  accurately  steered  toward 
the  land, — They  knew  not  the  land.  The 
tense  is  the  imperfect  and  indicates  an  endeavor 
to  recognize  it.  It  has  been  thought  strange,  that 
if  Malta  was  the  island  it  should  not  have  been 
known  to  some  of  the  crew  ;  but  St.  Paul's  Bay 
is  remote  from  the  great  harbor,  and  possesses 
no  marked  features  by  which  in  the  early  davoi, 
and  through  the  driving  rain  (ch.  28 : 2),  it  could 
be  recognized.  —  But  they  discovered  a  cer- 
tain inlet  having  a  sandy  beach,  upon 
which  they  determined,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible, to  strand  the  ship.  This  beach  no 
longer  exists  on  the  island  of  Malta ;  "  but  every 
geologist  must  know  that  it  must  have  had  one, 
and  that  at  a  period,  geologically  speaking,  from 
the  dip  of  the  beds,  by  no  means  remote." — 
(James  Smith.)  See  below.  The  implication  of 
the  narrative  that  the  rest  of  the  coast  was  rocky 
and  full  of  danger  accords  exactly  with  its  pres- 
ent character. 

40,  41.  And  cutting  round  the  anchors, 
they  left  them  to  the  sea  ;  at  the  same  time 
loosing  the  rudder-bands  and  raising  the 
foresail,  they  held  fast  for  the  shore,  and 
falling  into  a  place  where  two  seas  met, 
they  beached  the  ship ;  and  the  bows,  hav- 
ing stuck  fast,  remained  immovable,  but 
the  stern  was  broken  olf  by  the  violence 


of  the  waves.  This  translation,  which  fol- 
lows closely  the  original,  embodies  the  material 
points  in  which  it  differs  from  our  English  ver- 
sion. The  operations  of  cutting  the  anchors, 
preparing  the  rudders,  and  raising  the  foresail, 
were  simultaneous.  (1.)  They  did  not  take  up 
the  anchors,  which  could  have  been  of  no  possi- 
ble further  use,  and  would  have  added  weight  to 
the  ship ;  but  cut  them  round,  that  is,  cut  round 
the  stern  the  four  anchor-cables,  leaving  the 
anchors  in  the  sea.  (2.)  The  rudders,  which 
were  oars  (see  Prti.  Note),  and  of  which  there  were 
always  two,  had  been  drawn  out  of  the  water 
and  lashed  to  the  ship's  side  when  the  anchors 
were  cast  out  of  the  stern  ;  these  lashings  were 
now  loosened,  and  the  rudders  let  down  into  the 
water,  in  order  to  steer  the  vessel.  (3.)  There  is 
some  doubt  as  to  the  nature  of  the  saU  which 
was  raised ;  the  original  Greek  term  (uQrifior) 
has  been  rendered  mainsail,  mizzensail,  topsail, 
mast,  yard,  rudder,  vane,  etc.  Mr.  Smith,  how- 
ever, has  shown  pretty  clearly  that  it  was  the 
foresail.  This  was  the  best  possible  sail  that 
could  be  set  in  order  to  run  the  ship  ashore,  bow 
on.  (4. )  They  held  fast  for  the  shore  is  a  nautical 
phrase,  indicating  holding  the  ship  firm  toward 
the  land  by  the  rudders.  (5.)  A  place  where  two 
seas  met  describes  exactly  the  appearance  pre- 
sented to  the  sailors  as  they  neared  the  land  ;  the 
island  of  Salmonetta  (see  map)  is  a  long  rocky  ridge 
separated  from  the  main  land  by  a  channel  of  not 
more  than  a  hundred  yards  in  breadth,  and  two 
currents,  one  flowing  from  east  and  the  other 
from  the  north,  meet  at  the  point  where  the  ship 
was  beached.  (6.)  The  stern  was  broken  off,  not 
merely  broken ;  the  vessel  parted  amidships. 
The  rocks  of  Malta  disintegrate  into  exceed- 
ingly minute  particles  of  sand  and  clay,  which, 
when  acted  upon  by  the  currents  or  surface  agi- 
tation, form  a  deposit  of  tenacious  clay  ;  but  in 
still  water,  where  these  causes  do  not  act,  mud 
is  formed ;  but  it  is  only  in  the  creeks,  where 
there  are  no  currents,  and  at  such  a  depth  as  to 
be  undisturbed  by  the  waves,  that  the  mud  oc- 
curs. In  Admiral  Smyth's  chart  of  the  bay,  the 
nearest  soundings  to  the  mud  indicate  a  depth  of 
about  three  fathoms,  which  is  about  what  a  large 
ship  would  draw.    A  ship,  therefore,  impelled 


Oh.  XXVIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


257 


A 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

ND  when  they  were  escaped,  then  they  knew  that 
the  island"  was  called  Melita. 


2  And  the  barbarous'  people  shewed  us  no  little 
kindness:  for  they  kindied  a  fire,  and  received  us" 
every  one,  because  of  the  present  rain,  and  because  of 
the  cold. 


a  ch.  27  :  26 t  Rom.  1  :  14  ;  Col.  3:11 v  Matt.  10  :  42 ;  Heb.  13  :  2. 


by  the  force  of  a  gale  into  a  creek  with  a  bottom 
such  as  that  laid  down  on  the  chart,  would  strike 
a  bottom  of  mud,  graduating  into  tenacious  clay, 
into  which  the  fore  part  would  force  itself  and 
be  held  fast,  whilst  the  stern  was  exposed  to  the 
force  of  the  waves. 

42-46.  The  proposition  to  kill  the  prisoners 
!s  not  unaccordant  with  the  character  of  the  Ro- 
man soldiery.  Observe,  that  for  the  third  time 
Paul  is  the  means  of  saving  the  lives  of  those 
with  him,  first,  by  the  promise  of  God  in  answer 
to  his  prayers  (ver.  24) ;  then  by  his  interference  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  sailors  from  the  ship ; 
now,  by  the  consideration  paid  to  the  other  pris- 
oners for  his  sake. 

The  commentators  generally  have  given  more 
attention  to  the  historic  and  dramatic  details 
of  Paul's  remarkable  experiences  of  danger  and 
deliverance,  than  to  the  religious  lessons  which 
this  chapter  in  his  life  is  intended  to  inculcate. 
What  the  story  of  Joseph  is  in  the  0.  T.,  that  is 
the  story  of  Paul's  voyage  to  Rome  in  the  N.  T. 
— a  striking  illustration  of  the  truth  and  the 
method  of  divine  providence.  It  had  been  Paul's 
earnest  prayer  that  he  might  be  permitted  to 
visit  the  Christian  brethren  at  Rome  (Rom.  i :  9-13). 
Many  obstacles  prevented ;  among  others,  the 
length  and  expense  of  the  journey.  God  pro- 
vides carriage  without  cost ;  an  escort  which  en- 
sures protection  from  assault  by  the  inimical 
Jews  ;  brings  him  into  dangers  which  call  forth 
the  exhibition  of  his  noblest  qualities  of  patience, 
endurance,  courage,  and  cheerfulness — qualities 
appreciated  readily  by  those  who  did  not  com- 
prehend the  faith  which  was  their  source  ;  thus 
introduces  him  into  Rome  without  an  accuser  or 
an  accusation,  and  with  the  friendly  countenance 
of  the  Roman  centurion,  who,  if  Julius  Priscus 
(see  ver.  1,  note),  was  a  person  of  some  influence  and 
consequence  in  Rome ;  as  a  result,  Paul  had 
larger  liberty  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  both 
Jew  and  Gentile  as  a  prisoner  in  Rome  than  as  a 
freeman  in  Jerusalem,  his  very  bonds  aiding  to 
the  more  effective  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
Roman  camp,  and  to  the  servants  of  Caesar  (phii. 
1 :  12-18),  whom,  as  a  Jew  not  officially  sent  to 
Rome,  he  could  not  have  hoped  to  reach.  Thus  all 
things — the  mob  at  Jerusalem,  the  unjust  Felix, 
the  irresolute  Festus,  the  infamous  Agrippa,  the 
tempest,  the  bonds — work  together  for  his  good, 
and  for  the  promotion  of  that  work  to  which  he 
has  consecrated  his  whole  life.  The  fullness  of 
his  trust,  the  restf  ulness  of  his  soul  in  God,  in  the 


irksome  period  of  enforced  inaction  during  the 
long  imprisonment  in  Caesarea,  under  the  dan- 
gers involved  before  the  judgment-seat,  first  of 
Felix,  then  of  Festus,  and  throughout  the  voyage 
and  shipwreck,  in  which  he,  the  prisoner,  be- 
comes the  leader,  and,  as  it  were,  the  captain  of 
all  there  are  with  him,  exemplify  the  power  and 
value  of  the  Christian's  trust  in  times  of  dark- 
ness and  danger. 

Ch.  28.  PAUL  AT  ROME.  The  prater  op  the  apos- 
tle ANSWERED  (Rom.  1 :  13).— The  prophecy  of  our 
Lord  fulfilled  (ch.  1 :  8).— The  power  of  faith 
exemplified. 

1,2.  Melita.  Some  few  writers  have  identi- 
fied this  island  with  Meleda,  an  island  of  Austria 
in  the  Adriatic  Sea,  nineteen  miles  W.N.W.  of 
Ragusa ;  but  this  opinion  is  rejected  by  all  the 
best  modern  scholars,  is  inconsistent  with  the  gen- 
eral course  of  the  narrative,  places  Fair  Havens 
on  the  north  side  of  Crete,  makes  the  Euroclydon 
(ch.  27 :  14),  the  hot  sirocco  blowing  from  the  coasts 
of  Africa,  and,  therefore,  certainly  not  on  to  the 
quicksands  which  lie  on  that  coast,  and  as  cer- 
tainly not  a  wind  to  have  brought  rain  and  cold. 
It  is  shown  in  the  notes  above  that  St.  Paul's 
Bay  in  Malta  answers  exactly  to  the  description- 
given  in  the  preceding  chapter,  and  lies  exactly 
where  a  ship  thrown  by  an  E.N.E.  wind  would  be 
brought  by  a  tempest  of  thirteen  days.  The 
following  objections  are  urged  to  Malta:  (1.) 
That  the  inhabitants  of  Malta  were  not  barba- 
rians ;  but  this  term  was  customarily  used  by 
Jewish  writers  to  distinguish  Gentiles  from 
Jews,  or  other  races  from  Greeks  and  Romans 
(Rom.  1 :  14 ;  1  Cor.  14 :  ii) ;  it  implies  vcry  much  what 
our  word  natives  does.  (2.)  That  there  are  no 
vipers  in  Malta  ;  b\it  Malta,  though  now  denud- 
ed of  wood,  and  so  without  vipers,  was  anciently 
well  wooded  ;  it  is  not  strange  that  they  have 
now  disappeared.  (3.)  That  the  disorder  of  the 
father  of  Publius  does  not  belong  to  a  locality  so 
dry  and  rocky  as  that  of  Malta ;  but,  in  fact,  the 
disease  is  not  uncommon  there.  (4.)  That  Malta 
is  not  in  the  Adriatic  Sea  ;  but  (see  ver.  27,  note)  this 
term  had  a  much  wider  geographical  import  for- 
merly than  now.  (5.)  That  the  sailors  should 
have  known  the  land ;  but  their  ignorance  of  an 
unfamiliar  part  of  it,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night 
and  in  the  driving  storm,  is  not  strange  (ch.  27 :  39, 
note),  and  they  did  know  it  as  soon  as  they  had 
landed. — Because  of  the  rain  which  had 
come  upon  us.    Not  necessarily  suddenly,  yet 


258 


THE  ACTS. 


[Oh.  XXVIII. 


3  And  when  Paul  had  gathered  a  bundle  of  sticks, 
and  laid  them  on  the  fire,  there  came  a  viper  out  of  the 
heat,  and  fastened  on  his  hand. 

4  And  when  the  barbarians  saw  the  veno7noas  beast 
hang  on  his  hand,  they  said  among  themselves,  No 
doubt'  this  man  is  a  murderer,  whom,  though  he  hath 
escaped  the  sea,  yet  vengeance  suffereth  not  to  live. 

5  And  he  shook  off  the  beast  into  the  fire,  and  felt" 
no  harm. 

6  Howbeit,  they  looked  when  he  should  have  swol- 
len, or  fallen  down  dead  suddenly  :  but  after  they  had 
looked  a  great  while,  and  saw  no  harm  come  to  him, 
they  changed  their  minds,  and  said"  that  he  was  a  god. 

7  In  the  same  quarters  were  possessions  of  the  chief 
man  of  the  island,  whose  name  was  Publius  ;  who  re- 
ceived us,  and  lodged  us  three  days  courteously. 

8  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  father  of  Publius  lay 


sick  of  a  fever,  and  of  a  bloody  flux:  to  whomy  Pau/ 
entered  in,  and  prayed,  and  laid^  his  hands  on  him,  and 
healed  him. 

9  So  when  this  was  done,  others  also,  which  had  dis- 
eases in  the  island,  came,  and  were  healed  ; 

10  Who  also  honoured  ^  us  with  many  honours ;  and 
when  we  departed,  they  laded  tis  with  such  things'"  as 
were  necessary. 

11  And  after  three  months  we  departed  in  a  ship  of 
Alexandria,  which  had  wintered  in  the  isle,  whose  sign 
was  Castor  and  Pollux. 

12  And  landing  at  Syracuse,  we  tarried  there  three 
days. 

ij  And  from  thence  we  fetched  a  compass,  and  came 
to  Rhegium :  and  after  one  day  the  south  wind  blew, 
and  we  came  the  next  day  to  Puteoli ; 


John  7  :  24.... w  Mark  16  :  18  ;  Luke  10  :  19 x  ch.  14  :  11. . .  y  James  5  :  14,  15 z  ch.  19  :  11 ;    Matt.  9  :  18;  Mark  6  :  6  ;  7  ;  32  ;   16  ;  16; 

Luke  4  :40;  1  Cor.  12:9,  28.... a  1  Thess.  2  :  6;  1  Tim.  5  :  17.... b  Matt.  6  :  31-34;  10:8-10;  2  Cor.  9  :  6-11  ;  Phil.  4  :  11,  12. 


the  implication  is  that  the  rain  had  not  fallen 
throughout  all  the  tempestuous  time. 

3.  4.  When  Paul  had  gathered  a  bun- 
dle of  sticks.  Probably  dead  wood  from  the 
forest.  Observe  that  Paul  does  not  leave  this 
work  to  the  saUors  and  soldiers.  —  There 
came  a  viper  out  of  the  heat.  "The 
viper  was  probably  in  a  torpid  state,  and  was 
suddenly  restored  to  activity  by  the  heat.  It 
was  now  cold,  in  consequence  both  of  the  storm 
and  lateness  of  the  season  (ver.  2),  and  such  rep- 
tiles become  torpid  as  soon  as  the  temperature 
falls  sensibly  below  the  mean  temperature  of  the 
place  which  they  inhabit.  Vipers,  too,  lurk  in 
rocky  places,  and  that  is  the  character  of  the  re- 
gion where  the  incident  occurred.  They  are  ac- 
customed, also,  to  dart  at  their  enemies,  some- 
times several  feet  at  a  bound ;  and  hence  the 
one  mentioned  here  could  have  reached  the  hand 
of  Paul,  as  he  stood  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fire." — 
{Eackett.)  The  Greek  word,  like  the  English, 
implies  a  venomous  serpent;  but  the  word  ven- 
omous in  ver.  4  is  added  by  the  translators. — A 
murderer  whom  *  *  *  justice  suffereth 
not  to  live.  A  striking  illustration  of  the  in- 
justice of  forming  sudden  judgments,  based  upon 
appearances. 

5,6.  In  this  incident  Paul  experiences  a  ful- 
fillment of  the  promise  of  Christ  in  Mark  16  :  18. 
It  is  true  that  Luke  does  not  expressly  say  that 
the  serpent  was  poisonous,  nor  that  he  bit  Paul, 
nor  that  Paul  was  saved  from  injury  by  divine 
intervention ;  but  the  whole  course  of  the  narra- 
tive implies  a  miracle.  The  view  of  the  ration- 
alistic commentators  is  well  answered  by  Alford : 
"According  to  these  rationalists,  a  fortunate 
concurrence  of  accidents  must  have  happened 
to  the  apostles,  unprecedented  in  history  or 
probability.  Besides,  did  not  the  natives  them- 
selves in  this  case  testify  to  the  fact  ?  None  were 
so  well  qualified  to  judge  of  the  virulence  of  the 
serpent,  none  so  capable  of  knowing  that  the 
hanging  on  Paul's  hand  implied  the  communica- 
tion of  the  venom  ;  yet  they  change  him  from  a 


murderer  into  a  god  on  seeing  what  took  place. 
Need  we  further  evidence  that  the  divine  power 
which  they  mistakenly  attributed  to  Paul  him- 
self, was  really  exerted  on  his  behalf  by  him 
who  had  said,  '  They  shall  take  up  serpents  ? '  " 

7-10.  Were  estates  of  the  chief  man  of 
the  island.  The  Greek  word  rendered  here 
chief  man  {ttqiStoc)  probably  does  not  signify  the 
principal  person  in  the  island,  but  is  an  official 
title.  Malta  belonged  to  the  province  of  Sicily, 
and  Alford  supposes  that  Publius  was  the  legate 
of  the  praetor  of  the  province,  and  therefore  tis 
representative  upon  the  island.  Of  Publius  here 
mentioned  nothing  more  is  known ;  the  name 
indicates  that  he  was  a  Eoraan.  The  capital 
of  Malta,  now  Civita  Vecchia,  about  5  miles 
from  St.  Paul's  Bay,  and  commanding  a  view  of 
it,  was  probably  the  residence  of  Publius,  and 
here  probably  the  cure  of  his  father  took  place. 
— Three  days.  Probably  till  they  could  find 
suitable  lodging. — Sick  of  a  fever  and  dysen- 
tery. This  language,  like  that  of  Luke  else- 
where, is  medically  accurate. — Honored  us 
with  many  honors.  Not,  as  some  commen- 
tators, with  many  gifts,  an  interpretation  which 
does  not  accord  with  the  original,  and  scarcely 
with  the  spirit  of  Christ's  directions  in  Matt. 
10:8. 

11-13.  After  three  months.  These  were 
the  winter  months,  when  navigation  on  the 
Mediterranean  was  impracticable.  Alford  places 
the  date  of  their  probable  departure  as  early  in 
March. — With  the  sign  of  Castor  and  Pol- 
lux. The  ancient  ship  commonly  carried  a  pic- 
ture or  image  on  the  prow,  which  gave  to  it  its 
name,  and  a  tutela,  or  figure  of  the  tutelary  god 
of  the  ship,  upon  the  stera  ;  in  this  case  the  two 
seem  to  have  been  the  same.  Castor  and  Pol- 
lux, the  twin  sons  of  Jupiter,  were  the  patrons 
of  the  sailors ;  in  this  vessel  Castor  was  probably 
upon  one  side  of  the  prow,  and  Pollux  on  the 
other. — Syracuse.  A  celebrated  city  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  Sicily,  and  a  Roman  colony.  It 
was  important  both  as  a  strategical  and  a  com- 


Ch.  XXVIII.] 


THE  ACTS. 


259 


14  Where  we  found  brethren,  and  were  desired  to 
tarry  with  them  seven  days :  and  so  we  went  toward 
Rome. 

15  And  from  thence,  when  the  brethren  heard  of  us. 


they  came'  to  meet  us  as  far  as  Appii  forum,  and  The 
three  taverns ;  whom  when  Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God, 
and  took  courage.'' 
16  And  when  we  came  to  Rome,  the  centurion  de- 


c  ch.  21  :  5  ;  3  John  6-8 d  Josh.  1 :  6,  7,  9  ;  1  Sam.  30  :  6 ;  Ps.  27  :  14. 


mercial    point.       It     is 
about  80  miles  a  little 
east  of  north  of  Malta, 
a  day's   sail  with  a  fair 
wind.     The  tarrying  at 
Syracuse  was  either  for 
purposes  of  trade  (Lewin) 
or  for  a  favorable  change 
in   the   wind  (Alford). — 
From      thence      we 
fetched    a     compass 
(rather  sailed  circuitous- 
ly),    and     arrived    at 
Rhenium.    A  town  at 
the  southern  entrance  of 
the   straits  of   Messina, 
and  now  existing  under 
the    name     of    Reggio, 
with    a    population    of 
10,000;   it  is  about  the 
same  distance  from  Syr- 
acuse as  Syracuse  from 
Malta.      The    prevailing 
wind    in    this    part     of 
the     Mediterranean     is 
W.N.W.;  either  the  ship 
was  obliged  to  beat  up 
against    this    wind,    or, 
more     probably,     being 
under  the  shelter  of  the 
high  mountain  range  of 
^tna,   was    obliged    to 
stand  out  to  sea  in  or- 
der to  fill  the  sails,  and 
so  come     to     Rhegium 
by  a  circuitous  sweep; 
either    hypothesis     ex- 
plains    sufficiently    the 
language  here    descrip- 
tive of  their    course. — 
The  south  wind  blew. 

This  (see  map,  p.  21)  would  be  favorable  for 
passing  through  the  dangerous  straits  of  Messi- 
na, and  for  the  rest  of  the  voyage,  for  Puteoli 
lies  nearly  due  north  from  Rhegium,  about  182 
miles.  In  this  sail  they  would  pass  through  the 
famous  passage  between  Scylla  and  Charybdis, 
even  at  the  present  time  considered  dangerous.— 
To  Puteoli.  A  maritime  city  of  Campania, 
on  the  bay  of  Naples.  Just  across  the  inner  bay 
of  Puteoli  was  Baiae,  the  fashionable  watering- 
place  of  Rome.  Adjoining  it  was  Baulos,  the 
emperor's  marine  villa.    Puteoli  was  the  Liver- 


pool of  Rome,  and,  though  distant  from  the  cap- 
ital 150  miles,  was  the  customary  harbor  for 
ships  from  the  East,  whence  not  only  passengers, 
but  merchandise  of  all  kinds,  were  transported 
to  the  imperial  city.  The  harbor,  besides  its 
natural  advantages,  was  protected  by  an  exten- 
sive mole,  thrown  out  into  the  bay,  and  sup- 
ported on  stone  piers  with  arches  between 
them.  The  remains  of  this  mole  are  stm 
to  be  seen,  as  in  the  accompanying  illustration. 
Lewin  says  that  in  1851  he  counted  the  ruins  of 
13  of  these  piers.    The  modem  Pozzuoli,  while 


260 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVIIL 


retaining  interesting  relics  of  its  former  great- 
ness, is  a  poor  place  of  about  8,000  inhabitants. 

14,  15.  Where  we  found  brethren.  Who 
had  probably  been  long  hoping  and  praying  for 
Paul's  coming.  Four 
years  before  he  had 
written  his  letter  to 
them,  expressive  of  his 
purpose  to  visit  Rome. 
— Were  desired  to 
tarry  with  them. 
This  request  was  appar- 
ently complied  with ; 
this  is  both  indicated 
by  the  language  follow- 
ing, So  {i.  e.,  after  tar- 
rying) ive  went  toward 
Home,  and  also  by  the 
fact  that  Intelligence  of 
their  coming  was  for- 
warded to  the  brethren 
at  Rome.  Their  journey 
took  them  over  the 
great  Appian  Way.  Pu- 
teoli  lay  some  miles  to 
the  westward  of  this 
celebrated  road,  but 
communicated  with  it 
by  well-traveled  cross- 
roads. Paul's  course 
probably  lay  through 
Cumae,  a  city  on  the 
coast,  about  six  miles 
north  of  Puteoli,  thence 
along  the  coast  to  Sin- 
uessa,  where  he  would 


strike  the  Via  Ap- 
pia.  This  was  cer- 
tainly the  ordinai-y 
way  of  travel  20 
years  later,  and  a 
branch  of  the  Via 
Appia,  the  Via  Do- 
mitiana,  was  con- 
structed by  the 
emperor  Domitian 
for  its  accommo- 
dation. The  track 
of  the  Appian 
road  still  remains. 
"It  was  from  thir- 
teen to  fifteen  feet 
broad,  the  foun- 
dation was  of  con- 
crete or  cemented 
rubblework,  and 
the  surface  was 
laid  with  large  po- 
lygonal blocks  of 
the  hardest  stone, 
usually  basaltic  lava,  irregular  in  form,  but  fitted 
together  with  the  greatest  nicety.  The  distances 
were  marked  by  milestones,  and  at  intervals  of 
about    20    miles   were    'mansions,'  or  post-sta- 


MAP  OF  PAUL'S  BOUTE  TO  ROME. 


Ch.  XXVIIL] 


THE  ACTS. 


261 


livered  the  prisoners  to  the  captain  of  the  guard :  but 
Paul  was  suffered  to  dwell  by  himself  •=  with  a  soldier 
that  kept  him. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days  Paul 
called  the  chief  of  the  Jews  together:  and  when  they 
were  come  together,  he  said  unto  them,  iSIen  and 
brethren,  though  f  I  nave  committed  nothing  against 
the  people,  or  customs  of  our  lathers,  yet  was  1  deliv- 
ered? prisoner  Irom  Jerusalem  into  the  hands  of  the 
Romans : 

18  Who,  whenh  they  had  examined  me,  would  have 
let  me  go,  because  there  was  no  cause  of  death  in  me. 


19  But  when  the  Jews  spake  against  it,  I  was  con- 
strained to  appeal '  unto  Caesar  ;  not  that  I  had  aught 
to  accuse  my  nation  of. 

20  For  this  cause  therefore  have  I  called  for  you,  to 
see  you,  and  to  speak  with  you  :  because  that  for  the 
hope  J  of  Israel  I  am  bound  with  this  chain.'' 

21  .And  they  said  unto  him,  AVe  neither  received  let- 
ters out  of  Judaea  concerning  thee,  neither  any  of  the 
brethren  that  came  shewed  or  spake  any  harm  of  thee. 

22  But  we  desire  to  hear  of  thee  what  thou  thinkest : 
for  as  concerning  this  sect,  we  know  that  every  where' 
it  is  spoken  against. 


e  chaps.  24  :  23  ;    27  :  3...  .f  chaps.  24  :  12, 13  ;    25  :  8....g  ch.  21  :  33,  ctc....h  chaps.  24  :  10  ;    26:31....ic 
k  ch.  26  :  29  ;  Ephes.  3  : 1 ;  4  :  1  ;  6  :  20 ;  2  Tim.  1:16;  2:9;  Phile.  10,  13. . .  .1  ch.  24  .  5,  14 ;  Luke  2  : 


tions,  where  vehicles  and  horses  and  mules  were 
provided  for  the  convenience  of  travelers  and 
the  transmission  of  government  despatches." — 
(Lewin.)  From  Terracina,  47  miles  from  Sinu- 
essa,  there  were  two  routes,  one  by  land  around 
the  Pontine  marshes,  another  by  canal  directly 
across  the  morass.  These  two  routes  met  at 
Appii  Forum,  a  small  town  18  miles  from  Terra- 
cina and  43  from  Home.  The  terminus  of  the 
canal,  it  was  the  ordinary  lodging-place  for  trav- 
elers at  the  end  of  the  first  da3''s  journey  from 
Rome,  and  is  described  by  Horace  as  full  of  in- 
solent bargemen  and  exorbitant  tavern-keepers. 
There  are  now  no  inhabitants  on  the  spot,  but 
the  site  is  clearly  marked  by  considerable  ruins, 
as  well  as  by  the  43d  milestone. — Three  tav- 
erns {Tres  Tabernce).  A  well-known  station  10 
miles  from  Appii  Forum.  A  branch  road  from 
Antium  here  joined  the  Appian  Way,  making  it 
a  place  of  some  importance.  The  exact  site  is 
now  unknown,  although  a  spot  is  fixed  upon 
about  three  miles  from  modern  Cistema.  Here 
more  of  the  brethren  met  Paul,  and  from  this 
point  his  progress  was  more  like  a.  triumphal 
procession  than  like  the  march  of  a  criminal. — 
Took  courage.  Paul  was  by  no  means  indif- 
ferent to  human  sympathy,  and  the  presence  of 
these  brethren  gave  him  new  hope,  not  for  him- 
self only,  but  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  earnest 
prayers  (Rom.  1 :  10-12).  Their  very  presence  was  a 
partial  answer  to  these  prayers. 

16.  We  came  to  Rome.  For  description  of 
the  ancient  city  of  Rome,  see  Intro,  to  the  Epis- 
tle to  the  Romans. — To  the  captain  of  the 
gnard.  The  prefectus  prcetoris,  the  commander 
of  the  troops,  who  guarded  the  emperor's  per- 
son. At  this  time  a  purely  military  office,  it  sub- 
sequently became,  like  that  of  the  Vizier  of  the 
East,  one  including  the  superintendence  of  all 
departments  of  the  State.  This  officer  was  the 
one  put  in  charge  of  all  prisoners  from  the  pro- 
vinces.— With  a  soldier  that  kept  him.  To 
this  soldier  it  would  appear,  from  ver.  20,  Paul 
was  bound  with  a  chain,  after  the  custom  of  the 
Romans.  Comp.  Phil.  1  :  13.  It  does  not  follow 
fi'om  the  language  there,  My  bonds  are  mainfested 
in  all  the  palace,  that  he  dwelt  either  in  the  prae- 


torian camp  established  outside  the  walls  of  the 
city,  or  in  any  portion  of  the  palace  of  Csesar,  or 
even  in  its  vicinity.  Wherever  he  resided,  a  sol- 
dier was  his  constant  companion,  and  as  the 
guard  was  continually  changed,  and  Paul  was 
engaged  In  preaching  the  Gospel,  the  report  of 


A  PRISONER  BETWEEN   TWO  ROMAN   SOLDIERS. 

his  preaching  was  carried  throughout  the  house- 
hold of  Caesar.  From  the  fact  that  he  was  per- 
mitted at  this  time  to  receive  and  hold  confer- 
ence with  the  leading  men  of  the  Jews,  it  is  pre- 
sumable that  he  was  from  the  first  permitted 
to  dwell  in  his  own  hu'ed  house,  which  had,  per- 
haps, been  obtained  for  him  by  the  Christian 
brethren  at  Rome.  There  is  nothing  extraor- 
dinary in  this  permission,  since  no  prosecutor 
presented  charges  against  him.  Festus,  if  he 
sent  letters,  probably  expressed  a  favorable  opin- 
ion, and  the  influence  of  Julius,  the  centurion, 
would  also  have  been  in  his  favor. 

17-20.  It  is  not  strange  that  Paul's  confer- 
ence with  the  Jews  is  the  only  Christian  work 
described,  for  Luke  rarely  mentions  any  work 
of  the  apostle  among  churches  already  formed ; 
he  here,  therefore,  follows  his  usual  custom  in 
describing  Paul  as  a  missionary,  first  to  the  Jews 
and  then  to  the  Gentiles.  The  object  of  Paul's 
address  is  less  to  set  himself  right  before  them 
than  to  open  the  way  for  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel.  He  therefore  explains  that  he  is  not  an 
ofEender  against  Jewish  law,  that  he  appealed  to 
Caesar  only  as  a  necessary  act  of  self-protection, 
and  not  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  any  charge 
against  the  Jews,  and  that,  as  a  herald  of  the 


262 


THE  ACTS. 


[Ch.  XXVIII. 


23  And  when  they  had  appointed  him  a  day,  there 
came  many  to  him  into  his  lodging ;  ™  to  whom  he  ex- 
pounded" and  testified  the  kingdom  of  God,  persuad- 
ing them  concerning  Jesus,  both"  out  of  the  law  of 
Moses,  and  out  0/  the  prophets,  from  morning  till 
evening. 

24  And  some  P  believed  the  things  which  were  spo- 
ken, and  some  believed  not. 

25  And  when  they  agreed  not  among  themselves, 
they  departed,  after  that  Paul  had  spoken  one  word, 
Well  spake  the  Holy  Ghost  by  Esaiasnhe  prophet 
unto  our  lathers, 

26  Saying,  Go  unto  this  people,  and  say.  Hearing  ye 
shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand  ;  and  seeing  ye 
shall  see,  and  not  perceive : 


27  For  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and 
their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  ey^sTiave  they 
closed  ;  lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and 
should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them. 

28  Be  it  known  therefore  unto  you,  that  the  salva- 
tion of  God  is  sent  unto  the  Gentiles,"'  and  that  they 
will  hear  it. 

29  And  when  he  had  said  these  words,  the  Jews  de- 
parted, and  had  great  reasoning  among  themselves. 

30  And  Paul  dwelt  two  whole  years  m  his  own  hired 
house,  and  received  all  that  came  in  unto  him, 

31  Preaching »  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  teaching 
those  things  which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with 
all  confidence,  no  man  forbidding  him. 


m  Philemon  22.... n  chaps.  17:3;  19:8;  Luke  24:  27...  o  ch.  26:6,  22.... p  chaps.  14:1;  17:4;  19:9;  Rom.  3:3....q  Ps.  81  :  11,  12  ; 
Isa.  6:9;  Jer.  6  :  21  ;  Ezek.  3  :  6,  7  ;  12:2;  Matt.  13  :  U,  16  ;  Rom.  11  :  8. . .  .r  chaps.  13  :  46, 47  ;  18  :  6 ;  22  :  21 ;  26  :  17,  18  ;  Matt.  21  :  41  ; 
Rom.  U  :  11.... s  ch.  4  :  31  ;  Ephes.  6  :  19. 


hope  of  Israel,  i.  e.,  of  the  Messiah,  he  is  in 
bonds. 

21,  22.  We  neither  received  letters,  etc. 
There  is  nothing  remarkable,  certainly  nothing 
incredible,  in  this  statement;  for  (1)  before  his 
appeal,  the  Jews  had  no  reason  to  send  forward 
any  complaints  against  Paul,  having  no  expecta- 
tion that  he  would  be  forwarded  to  Rome  ;  and 
(3)  since  his  appeal  there  had  probably  been  no 
opportunity  to  do  so.  Had  any  deputation  from 
the  Jews  followed  Paul  to  Jerusalem,  they 
would  probably  have  been  impeded  by  the  same 
storm  which  impeded  him ;  but  it  is  not  at  all 
probable  that  they  would  have  undertaken  to 
present  their  trivial  complaints  to  the  emperor 
in  person.  —  Every  where  it  is  spoken 
against.  This  was  emphatically  true ;  the 
Christians  being  denounced,  not  only  by  the 
Jews,  but  by  the  Romans,  as  guilty  of  various 
and  enormous  crimes.  The  very  fact  of  their 
combination  in  religious  organizations,  subject- 
ed them  to  distrust ;  and  a  little  subsequent  to 
this  time  they  were  subjected  to  the  most  fero- 
cious persecutions  by  Nero,  with  apparently  the 
hearty  approbation  of  the  Roman  people. 

23-28.  To  whom  he  set  forth,  bearing 
witness,  the  kingdom  of  God  *  *  * 
both  out  of  the  law  of  Moses,  etc.  Both 
the  subject  and  the  method  of  Paul's  ministry 
are  indicated.  He  set  forth  the  true  nature  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  for  which  the  Jews  were 
hoping ;  he  bore  personal  witness  out  of  his 
own  experience,  to  its  spiritual  power  and  worth  ; 
and  he  maintained  the  truth  by  an  exposition  of 
the  O.  T.  Scriptures ;  thus  his  preaching  was 
both  expository  and  experimental.  —  From 
morning  till  evening.  When  the  preacher 
and  hearers  are  both  greatly  in  earnest  no  ser- 
mon seems  long. — Well  spake  the  Holy 
Cihost  by  Isaiah.  Isa.  G  :  9.  On  its  meaning, 
see  Matt.  13  :  14,  15,  note.  The  solemnity  of  this 
admonition  from  the  O.  T.  is  strengthened  by 
Paul's  prophetic  addition  in  ver.  38. 

29-31.  Ver.  39  is  omitted  as  spurious  by  most 
of  the  critics ;   Alford  queries  it. — And   Paul 


dwelt  two  \vhole  years  in  his  own  hired 
house.  The  implication  is,  without  a  trial  and 
still  in  custody,  for  nothing  is  said  of  his  preach- 
ing in  the  synagogues  or  elsewhere,  and  the 
statement  that  he  preached  Avith  all  confidence, 
no  man  forbidding  him,  indicates  that  there  were 
reasons  why  interference  might  have  been  ex- 
pected ;  moreover,  in  the  epistles  written  from 
Rome,  he  refers  to  himself  as  a  prisoner  (Eph.  6 :  is, 
20 ;  Col.  4 : 3, 4).  This  delay  of  his  trial  is  not  strange. 
The  personal  presence  of  the  prosecutor  was 
required  by  Roman  law,  and  there  is  no  indica- 
tion that  any  deputation  came  to  prosecute  the 
apostle  from  Jerusalem.  Not  until  later  did  the 
law  provide  that  a  failure  for  a  year  of  the  prose- 
cutor was  tantamount  to  an  abandonment  of  the 
prosecution.  Josephus  gives  the  account  of 
some  Jewish  prisoners  sent  by  Felix  to  Rome, 
there  detained  for  three  years,  and  then  released 
only  by  Josephus'  special  interference.  Among 
those  who  were  Paul's  companions  at  this  time 

were  Luke  (Col.  4  :  U  ;  Philemon  24),  Timothy  (Phllemon 
1  ;  Col.  1:1;  PhU.  1  :  l),  TychiCUS  (Col.  4:7;  Ephes.  6  :  2l), 
Mark  (2  Tim.  4  :  11),  DemaS  (PhUemon  24  ;  Col.  4  :  14),WhO, 

however,   subsequently  abandoned  the    apostle 

(2  Tim.  4  :  lO),    AristarchUS    (Col.  4  :  10  ;  Philemon  2t),  and 

Epaphras  (coi.  i :  7;  Philemon  23).  During  this  cap- 
tivity Paul  is  believed  to  have  written  the  epis- 
tles to  Philemon,  the  Colossians,  and  the  PhOip- 
pians.  The  latter  especially  gives  an  account  of 
his  experience  at  this  time.  For  the  traditional 
account  of  the  subsequent  life  of  Paul,  see  In- 
tro., pp.  18, 19.— With  all  confidence,  unfor- 
bidden. Yet  not  without  a  hungering  desire 
for  human  sympathy  (Ephes.  6 :  19 ;  Coi.  4 :  is),  so  char- 
acteristic of  Paul's  royally  endowed  nature.  The 
secret  source  of  this  confidence  he  has  imparted 
in  his  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  "I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 
Thus  the  Book  of  Acts,  exemplifying  Christian 
truth  in  action,  fittingly  closes  with  an  account 
of  the  fulfillment  of  that  promise  of  our  Lord, 
which  constitutes  the  close  of  the  first  Gospel, 
"  So  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world." 


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